At today's book sale Janet and Mary's homemade cakes have been available in aid of the hospital's Happy Hearts appeal. We hope to be able to give them a sizeable donation.Inevitably there have been enquiries about recipes. Here is the one for my ginger and prune cake. It's extremely easy to make and leaves minimal washing up. It's a cake that tastes better after a day or two, becoming even more moist and sticky, and I find it's rather nice with butter, or could even be used as a pudding with custard. Mmmm!
Ingredients:
6 oz ready to eat prunes, chopped (stoneless weight)
9fl oz hot water
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 oz unsalted butter
4 oz dark muscovado sugar (I find normal dark soft brown sugar works fine too)
4 oz golden syrup
9 oz self raising flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 large eggs
2 tbsp maple syrup
Ingredients:
6 oz ready to eat prunes, chopped (stoneless weight)
9fl oz hot water
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 oz unsalted butter
4 oz dark muscovado sugar (I find normal dark soft brown sugar works fine too)
4 oz golden syrup
9 oz self raising flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 large eggs
2 tbsp maple syrup
- Preheat oven to 180C, 350F or gas mark 4. Grease and line a 9" square, deep cake tin.
- Put prunes, bicarb and water in a large saucepan and heat until boiling.
- Remove from heat and add the butter, sugar and golden syrup, stirring until melted.
- Add the beaten eggs, flour and ginger and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 35-40 mins until firm to the touch.
- Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack. Brush with maple syrup and cut into squares.
I use a 2lb loaf tin rather than a square tin. This works equally well, although if you've got a fan oven I'd advise cooking the cake at a slightly lower temperature to ensure that it cooks evenly.
