Sugar and spice (and all things nice) cake

As we all know, boys are made from slugs and snails and puppy dog tails. Therefore this must be a cake for the girls!


Of all the cakes on my site this is probably the easiest to make. It is also utterly delicious; a perfect cake to have with a cup of tea or coffee. Lovely warm spices and a crunchy sugar topping makes this a sensual delight. But I have a confession. I only made it because I wanted to play with my new toy –my new nutmeg grater means I will never grate bits of my finger off again. When I unpacked it I stood grating nutmeg into the sink just for the fun of it before I conceded that, as activities went, this was probably one of the more futile. Isn’t she a beauty:


The cake is quite plain to look at – there won’t be any amazed gasps when you unveil it. The amazed gasps will come when people eat it and marvel at the flavours: cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. This cake is all about the eating! You can see the spicy flecks:


I am so confident in this cake that I serve it alone. No cream, no custard, no fruit, no bells, no whistles. Enjoy.


Ingredients:
175g unsalted butter
250g light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
250g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1-3 tablespoons milk (whole or semi skimmed)
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar

How to make:

- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper.
- Beat the butter until pale and creamy, then add the light brown sugar and beat for about 5 minutes. Usually I would say “beat until pale and fluffy” but that won’t happen with brown sugar. As long as you beat for 5 minutes it will be perfect.
- Gradually add the eggs, beating well to ensure they are incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the creamed mix and fold in, adding the milk one spoon at a time as necessary. Only use as much milk as you need to slacken the mix.
- Spoon the mix into the tin and then sprinkle the Demerara sugar on top; this is what gives the crunchy top.
- Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Mine took 1 hour.
- Cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool.
- This cake will last several days in an airtight container and is most delicious a day or so after baking.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.