Jamaican Ginger Cake? Yes, I did...

After investing in a brand new shiny heavy gauge loaf tin when we started the blog, I felt it was time to start putting it to use! Friday's fortnightly team meeting was looming, and I volunteered to cater with Delia's Dark Jamaican Gingerbread. As Delia's introduction says, it has become a 'factory-made clone', but the homemade version is so much nicer than the ones you get from the supermarket.

It was pretty straightforward to make - measuring the treacle was a bit of a challenge as it sticks to whatever you measure it in (!) but Delia's genius tip of putting the tin into a pan of barely simmering water really helped, making the treacle really runny (it made me wonder if this is why golden syrup and treacle are still sold in proper tins and haven't been replaced with a modern plastic version... if so, top marks to Tate & Lyle!). It was a fairly straightforward recipe, a very runny one, that got poured into my lovely new tin. With a bit of help from my beautiful measuring spoons that were a thank you present for making a friend's wedding cupcakes (thanks Flo & Dave!), I successfully measured out all the spices which give the gingerbread some real heat.

It took over an hour to bake, so it's not a recipe to make when you're in a hurry, but it made the house smell amazing. Following Delia's suggestion, I kept the cake in the greaseproof lining and stored it in a tin overnight before being tempted to try any. Since Julie wasn't well (curled up on the sofa with a pack of tissues), our team meeting was cancelled, so the judging took place just by Laura and me - we both loved it. On my way home, I spotted a Jamaican festival setting up to take place over the weekend in a park off the Pershore Road - I would love to say I made this cake in its honour, but it was a pure coincidence!

Delia recommends serving this in thick slices spread with butter. I don't think it needs the butter personally, but I did try my own serving suggestion - broken up pieces of it into my banana and custard the following night made for a delicious dessert. Whether served in this slightly unusual way, or simply as a slice of cake, this really is worth trying - it's sticky and spicy and really tasty.