“Triple’ ginger cake

This is a recipe from Nigel Slater’s The kitchen diaries. The recipe for double ginger cake was first published in the Guardian. My additions of fresh ginger -making it triple- and some spices are in italic, so you can decide who to follow. (I read the other day that not respecting someones recipe is actually quite arrogant and will stop you from learning new things).

Nigel says: “I am rather proud of this cake. Lightly crisp on top and with a good, open texture, it is light, moist and delicately gingery. It will keep for a day or two wrapped in paper and foil.”

Ingredients for 8

• 250g self-raising flour
• 2 level tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• a pinch of salt
• 200g golden syrup (in The Netherlands: stroop)
• 2 tbsp syrup from the ginger jar
• 125g butter
• 3 lumps of stem ginger in syrup (about 55g)
• 0,5 cm grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch piment d’espellete
• 2 heaped tbsp sultanas
• 125g dark muscavado sugar (bruine suiker in NL)
• 2 large eggs
• 240ml milk

Method

You will need a square cake tin measuring approximately 20-22cm, lined on the bottom with baking or greaseproof paper. (I used 4 small round tins, hoping invasion to keep some for over two days)

Set the oven at 180°C/gas mark 3. Sieve the flour with the ground ginger, pepper, piment, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Put the golden and ginger syrups and the butter into a small saucepan, and warm over a low heat. Dice the stem ginger finely then add to the pan with the sultanas and sugar. Let the mixture bubble gently for a minute, giving it the occasional stir to stop the fruit sticking to the bottom.

Break the eggs into a bowl, pour in the milk and beat gently to break up the egg and mix it into the milk. Remove the butter and sugar mixture from the heat and pour into the flour, stirring smoothly and firmly with a large metal spoon. Mix in the milk and eggs. The mixture should be sloppy, with no trace of flour. Add the grated fresh ginger.

Scoop the mixture into the non-stick or lined cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer, inserted into the centre of the cake, comes out clean. Unless you are serving it warm, leave the cake in its tin to cool, then tip out on to a sheet of greaseproof paper. Wrap it up again in foil and leave to mature for a day or two before eating.’ I dare you.

Triple ginger cake. Original recipe: Nigel Slater, foto: Sheila Struyck