Double ginger cake with lime frosting

This cake has a double hit of ginger, both fresh and crystallised, which produces a strong flavour that becomes surprisingly addictive when teamed with the creamy lime frosting.

SERVES 8–10

PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes (+ cooling)

COOKING TIME 1 hour 5 minutes–1 hour 15 minutes

250 g (9 oz) butter, chopped

110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup, firmly packed) light brown sugar

175 g (6 oz/½ cup) golden syrup

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) self-raising flour

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

185 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) milk

2 eggs, lightly whisked, at room temperature

2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallised ginger, plus extra, sliced, to serve

LIME FROSTING

250 g (9 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

60 g (2¼ oz) butter, softened

185 g (6½ oz/1½ cups) icing (confectioners’) sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest, plus extra, to serve

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Grease a round 20 cm (8 inch) cake tin with melted butter, then line with non-stick baking paper.

2 Combine the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small heavy-based saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Stir in the grated ginger.

3 Sift together the flours and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add the butter mixture, milk, eggs and crystallised ginger and use a large metal spoon or spatula to mix until just combined. Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 1 hour–1 hour 10 minutes or until firm to touch and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate and invert, right way up, onto a wire rack to cool.

4 To make the lime frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined. Add the lime zest and juice and beat until combined (pic 1).

5 Insert toothpicks into the cooled cake as a guide for where to cut to produce 3 even cake layers. Use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into the 3 layers (pic 2). Place the bottom layer on a serving plate and spread with one-third of the lime frosting (pic 3). Repeat the layering process with the remaining cake layers and frosting, finishing with frosting. Top with extra lime zest and sliced crystallised ginger, and serve cut into wedges.

TIP This cake will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve at room temperature.