Nigella's Ginger Cake

This dark, molasses sticky concoction is fast becoming a Boy/Blogger Christmas tradition, not least of all because it was the autumnal cake of choice I took with me to 'meet the parents' two years ago. Shame the only cake that The Boy's dad doesn't like is Ginger Cake. Shame he has a caustic sense of humour and wouldn't let me forget it that weekend, or any since. Good thing they're great people. And this is a great cake.

As Nigella loves to preach, any cake that involves combining wet with dry and whacking in a baking tray is good in her books, and though this falls in the Child category of Domestic Goddess, it's there as a good, easy, impressive tray bake to keep grandparents happy at cake stalls.*

Anyway, on with the photos of me making it wrong!!

The recipe calls for mollasses and golden syrup (in weighed rather than spooned volumes) to be added to melted butter. I could think of no other way to do this, while maintaining sanity, some cleanliness and minimal wastage, than putting the hot pan on my scales. I thought this the ideal time to take a picture of golden syrup with one hand, while holding spoon up with other and all at speed so as not to melt my scales... Note dribble of syrup on edge of pan, about to hit said scales... Domestic ...what was that?

Was unconvinced by lumpiness of 'liquid mix' (no seiving of flour mentioned, not that I usually bother) but gave it a good beating and poured into pan. Sadly, the cake is dotted with little snow white parcels to greet its nibbler and threaten inhalation and choking at any point....


Ah well, this is the steaming goodness and I can vouch that two thirds of the picture below is now in the Boy's belly, and the other third is in my sister's belly. I played no part in the devouring...**



*I was yesterday told that there is something fantastically Enid Blyton about me. I think I'm going to take it as a compliment, and possibly even as my mantra in the New Year.

** Not true in the strictest sense, but good for guilt-tripping and excuse to make another!!