Gingerbread

Mrs Mac's Gingerbread

This gingerbread is based on a Finnish recipe (called mjuk pepperkaka) and is excellent served warm with whipped cream, or cold, sliced and spread with butter. Cut into small squares is can also work well as a spicy tray-bake. The moist ingredients in the cake ensure that it can be stored for longer than other cakes.

This recipe makes 16 2inch cakes from an 8inch (20cm) square cake tin.

Ingredients:

• 30z / 90 g unsalted butter
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 4 tbsp/60 ml milk
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 floz/125 ml sour cream
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 med egg
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamon
• 7 oz/200 g brown suger (unrefined)
• 1 oz /30 g chopped nuts
• 6 oz/175 g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda

Method:

• Grease the tin and line the base with baking paper – Heat the oven to 350⁰F/175⁰C/Gas Mark 4
• Heat the butter with the milk until melted and let it cool until tepid
• Stir in the sour cream and with a whisk stir in the egg and brown sugar until smooth
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom – stir in the nuts
• Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture – pour in the liquid and stir together until smooth
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until the top is golden brown and a cake test with a skewer comes out clean
• Transfer to a rack to cool
• Serve warm or cold according to taste