Baking with Burns: How to make marmalade and ginger cake

If you're ready for some lockdown baking, here's another tasty treat enjoyed in Scotland for you to try. Lisa Burns explains more and has the all-important recipe for you...

After I made broonie last week, I thought I would continue with the Scottish theme and make another tasty cake enjoyed north of the border.

My family loves a bit of ginger cake - its lovely warming taste is ideal for this time of year. 

There is something quite comforting about settling down on a cold winter’s evening in front of a blazing fire with a brew, a good book and a large slab of ginger cake.

The cake I made this week has a slight twist in that it contains marmalade - an ingredient which the Scots are credited with developing as a spread in the 18th century, with Scottish grocer James Robertson later creating Golden Shred marmalade in 1864.

This lovely little recipe uses quite a lot of marmalade, making it warming, tangy and moist. Perfect for our cold winter days and nights!

Ingredients

4oz/115g golden syrup

2oz/55g black treacle

2oz/55g dark brown sugar

4oz/115g unsalted butter

8oz/230g marmalade

8oz/230g self-raising flour

One tsp ground ginger

One egg, beaten

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line a 2lb loaf tin with a cake liner or baking paper.

2. Melt the syrup, black treacle, brown sugar and butter in a pan over a gentle heat.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the marmalade. Set aside to cool.

4. Sift the flour and ginger in a large mixing bowl.

5. Make a well in the centre and pour in the syrup mixture and the beaten egg.

6. Mix well until the mixture is well combined, with no lumps of flour.

7. Carefully pour into the prepared tin and slightly bang the bottom on a hard surface to get rid of any air pockets.

8. Cook for around 45-50 minutes until firm and golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.

9. Cool on a wire rack and serve with a brew and a good book!

10. This cake will keep well for a few days in an airtight container.