Name: Recipe: Rum and Ginger Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 50g caster sugar; 30ml water; 50ml rum; 1tsp ground ginger; 125g unsalted butter; 175g golden syrup; 300g plain flour; 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 3 tsp ground ginger; 3 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp ground black pepper; 200g caster sugar; 1 generous pinch of salt; 240ml milk; 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten; 125g glacé ginger, finely chopped

Cake! Booze! Spice! Three awesome things all rolled into one delicious entity. Rum and Ginger Cake will make your January a better month. It’s sweetly spiced with a dreamy boozy syrup and it will be the perfect accompaniment for the hot beverage of your choice.

I made this last week and all the family have been digging in throughout the week. The boozey rum syrup helps the cake last so it’s a great tea cake really. You can get away with just a sliver of a slice if you are still on a January healthy-eating fix, my Dad however, likes to warm it up in the microwave with a generous dollop of custard.

If you fancy, you can totally add a simple icing to the top of the cake. But I choose to head down the parkin-style (see what a parkin is here) route – I just love the sheen the rum syrup gives to the top of the cake.

Don’t be afraid of how runny the cake batter is, it turns into a beautifully springy cake. Also, don’t be tempted to peek and open the oven door whilst it’s baking or you’ll end up with a deflated cake.

Finally, by all means skip the rum syrup if you want just a simple ginger cake. It’ll still taste delicious.

Rum and Ginger Cake (makes 8-12 servings)

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter
175g golden syrup
300g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground black pepper
200g caster sugar
1 generous pinch of salt
240ml milk
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
125g glacé ginger, finely chopped

for the syrup

50g caster sugar
30ml water
50ml rum
1 tsp ground ginger

Method

Prep a 9 inch round springform tin by lining with baking paper and preheat the oven to 170C (fan)
Melt the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat until melted. Set aside to cool.
Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon and pepper.
Stir the sugar and salt into the flour mixture followed by the milk and eggs. Whisk until smooth.
Slowly add the melted syrup-butter mixture a quarter at a time. Stirring until combined after each addition.
Gently stir in the glacé ginger.
Pour the mixture into the baking tin. The mixture will be runny – don’t worry!
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until golden and risen in the middle and springy to touch.
Allow to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before making the syrup
Bring the ingredients to a simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prick the cake all over with a fine skewer and pour the syrup over the cake.
Once the cake is cool, remove from the tin and place on a plate and serve!

Enjoy!