Golden syrup cake

The latest baking publication to hit the newsagent’s shelves is called “30 Best Loved Recipes” and will build into a collection of books each focussing on a branded product.  We’re already up to part 5 and seeing that parts 1 & 2 were Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and Lyle’s Golden Syrup they were always going to end up in my greedy little hands!

I know I go on about my love of golden syrup but I really do love it!  I’ve read some comments on some other blogs and websites suggesting that the Lyle’s golden syrup book is unimaginative in that it contains recipes for flapjacks, biscuits and cakes...but in all honesty, these are the things I want to use syrup in.  I don’t want a book full of ways to use it in a curry or stews.

The recipe that stood out to me, because it seemed so decadent/grotesque (delete depending on your view of things), was the enormous sponge cake using a whole bottle of golden syrup.  A.  Whole.  Bottle.  Take new bottle from cupboard, empty into saucepan, throw away empty bottle.  Well, call me weird, but that was a clarion call if ever I heard one!

The strange thing is that this cake isn’t too sweet when you eat it.  It should be, but it isn’t.  The sponge is light and moist and the single dominant flavour is syrup.  We had it plain, with a cup of tea, and it was heavenly.  We warmed up thick slices and had it with custard for dessert and – shock – it was comfort in a bowl:

This makes a big cake.  Definitely one to bake when you have a lot of eaters on hand.  Big plus though, is that it keeps like gingerbread and just keeps getting better.

Ingredients

225g unsalted butter
225g light muscovado sugar
450g golden syrup, plus additional 4 tablespoons for pouring
450g self raising flour
2 eggs
300ml milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/325°F/gas mark 3.

Line a 30cm springform round tin with baking paper.   The largest tin I had was 23cm so I used that – it meant I needed to bake it for longer but worked fine.

Place the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally until all the ingredients are melted and combined.

Leave to cool for 10 minutes or so.

In a large bowl, beat together the flour, eggs and milk.  It will look pale, lumpy and desperately unappetising at this point!

Pour the syrup mix in and beat until lump free and smooth.

Pour the batter (it will be runny) into the prepared baking tin and bake for approximately 50 minutes.  As I used a smaller tin – making a deeper cake – I needed to bake for longer.  In total it took somewhere in the region of 1 hour 15 minutes.  It’s ready when a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Leave to cool on a wire rack – still in the tin – for 5 minutes, then drizzle the extra syrup over the top.

Leave to cool completely.

Serve on its own or with thick cream.  Also lovely warmed with custard for pudding.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.