Today was a day for making a cake and having a walk. There was a Nigel cake recipe in the paper recently which had ginger and also left over mincemeat but Old Bull didn’t fancy it, so this was the choice instead. Another Nigel. And goodness, look how old it is.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2003/nov/23/foodanddrink.shopping
Found my 20x20cm cake tin and popped some greaseproof on the bottom and then assembled all the ingredients. The oven went on 180C.
I sieved the flour and added the spices, the bicarbonate and the salt. Then the syrups needed warming with the butter over a low heat.
The firm little balls of ginger were extracted from the jar and chopped small. I added them to the saucepan with the sultanas and the dark muscovado. This was supposed to be bubbled. I didn’t really do that but just tried to let the sugar dissolve a little.
I also realised at this point that such a hot mixture probably wouldn’t do my plastic bowl too much good so I whacked the flour mix into a Mason Cash bowl and poured the sugar mixture into that.
Two eggs were whisked with the milk and then that was poured into the flour/sugar mix. I used a whisk to bring this together. A spoon wasn’t really doing the job.
Finally, when all the ingredients were amalgamated, I poured it into the tin. It’s really runny, or sloppy as Nigel describes it. As I was pouring the last fruity, gingery bits in I tried to distribute them evenly over the mixture.
My oven is always slightly slow so it ended up being in for a bit over 40 mins and meanwhile the oven filled with the scent of warm spice smells. It was tested at 35 mins but was definitely not ready so I think I added 8 more.
The final article was dark on the top but not burnt. You can serve it warm immediately but lunch came next so it cooled in the tin.
Do it again? Old Bull gave it the seal of approval. It’s full of flavour and has a good texture – it did have a nice crisp top which was a perfect contrast to the soft sponge underneath. We had it with plain, cool yoghurt and it would also be good with crème fraîche, I’m sure.
I can see why Nigel is “rather proud of this cake”.
Do it again? 