Gingerbread or parkin are traditional for bonfire night, and in this recipe the apple pieces add extra interest. This cake is beautifully moist and keeps well for a few days. You will need a 20cm / 8in shallow square cake tin
Ingredients:
- 150g (5oz) butter or hard margarine
- 175g (6oz) soft brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black treacle )
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup ) or 2 tablespoons black treacle
- 225g (8oz) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 100ml (4 fl oz) milk
- 1 egg
- 1 large dessert apple
Method
Line the tin with baking parchment paper. Heat the oven to Gas 3 / 170C.
Melt the butter, sugar, treacle and syrup in a pan over low heat. Leave to cool.
Peel, core and chop the apples. Sieve the flour , baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ginger into a bowl.
Beat together the milk and egg, stir into the flour gradually with the cooled butter liquid.
Add the apples. Don’t beat.
Put into the tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes in the centre of the oven until firm in the centre.
Leave it in the tin to cool.
Turn it out and cut into 9 squares. Store in an airtight container.
Note: the ginger flavour is mild so you can add more if you like.
This is also lovely as a pudding with custard.