Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread cake

Scottish Gingerbread cake

While making anything Gingerbread here in the USA is considered quite Thanksgiving-y and Christmas-y. In Scotland a nice piece of Gingerbread cake with your hot cup of tea is a must at any time of year.

In fact any cake or bread worthy of a spreading of butter or jam will do at tea time

This week I made Gingerbread cake, the house was filled with a beautiful warm fuzzy smell of baking and I was transported back home to Scotland for a fleeting moment

This made a large 8 x 8 cake tin of bread, plenty to share with family, friends and neighbours

bagging treats for friends

You will need

8 x 8 cake tin or similar (even a loaf tin)

450g/1lb All purpose plain flour
quarter tsp salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g/4oz chopped walnuts
175g/6oz butter
175g/6oz molasses or black treacle
175g/6oz golden syrup
200g/7oz brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
300ml/half pint of milk

• Set the oven to 350F / 180C

• Grease the cake tin with butter or cooking spray, set aside

grease the pan

• In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda

sift the flour

• Stir in the walnuts then make a well in the center

a well in the flour

• Heat the butter, syrup, sugar and molasses or treacle in a medium pan, stirring until combined, melted and smooth

• Add this mixture to the flour mixture, mix then add in the egg and milk, mix thoroughly

treacle mixture

• Pour cake mixture into cake tin

Gingerbread cake mixture

• Bake for 1 to 1 and a half hours, until a skewer inserted come out clean

Scottish ginger bread

• turn out onto a wire rack and cool

• Serve and enjoy the Scottish way with a generous spreading of butter and a hot cup of tea

Ginger bread

Scottish Gingerbread cake

Store in an airtight container or zip lock bag for up to a week, if it lasts that long (wink)