Chocolate gingerbread cake

Cooking notes

• Makes 12-15 pieces.

• Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s recipe in Feast.

• If you’re using a standard size oven, you’re better off referring to the upper range of the times/temperatures given below. Similarly, use the lower range if you’re using a smaller toaster oven (like I do).
  

Ingredients

• 175 gm unsalted butter

• 125 gm any brown sugar (light/dark muscovado)

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

• 200 gm golden syrup

• 200 gm maple syrup (substitutes: black treacle or molasses)

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tsp minced/ground ginger

• 1¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 2 tbsp warm water

• 2 eggs

• 250ml milk

• 275 gm plain flour

• 40 gm cocoa

• 100 gm chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160-170°C. Line the baking dish (30x20x5 cm deep for big ovens) with baking parchment or brush it with oil or butter.

2. In a decent-sized saucepan, melt the butter along with the caster and brown sugar, golden syrup, maple syrup, cloves, cinnamon, and ground ginger.

3. In a cup, dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the warm water.

4. Take the saucepan off the heat, and beat in the eggs, milk, and the water-bicarb mix.

5. To this, stir in the flour and cocoa, and mix with a wooden spoon. Fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Pour the cake mix into the lined tin and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until risen and firm.

7. It will be slightly damp underneath the set top, and that makes for a wonderfully soft and moist cake.

8. Remove to a wire rack and let it cool.

9. Once cool, cut into slabs and enjoy! 

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