Gingerbread

What do you think of when someone says 'gingerbread' ? The little men or a loafy thing? I usually think of gingerbread men. They're so cute and fun, and you can just go nuts with decorating them. But for eating, I think I prefer a loaf. Anyway, my gorgeous sister in law has been craving gingerbread, and I've been trying to get around to making it for ages. So I finally fished out my trusty old recipe and thought I'd share it here too.








It's called Molly's Gingerbread, and I have no idea where I got the recipe from. But I've had it for around 11 years, handwritten and filed away in a folder. I love this gingerbread. It's always yummy, but tastes a million times better after about 2 days. And I think it's perfect for this cooler weather.


Molly's Gingerbread
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup golden syrup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
90g butter or margarine, softened
1/2 soft brown sugar
2 eggs

1. Grease and line an 18cm Square baking tin. Preheat the oven to 175C.
2. Sift flour and spices together into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
4. Add eggs singly and beat in after each addition.
5. Add sifted ingredients alternately with warmed syrup and the soda dissolved in milk.
6. Pour into baking pan, and gently level out the top.
7. Bake in a moderate oven 50 - 60 minutes. This is what the recipe says, but mine are often ready sooner than that. I'd probably check after 35 mins.

Instead of baking mine in a square tin, I used two loaf tins this time. One for my SIL to take away, and one for hubby and family here. If you do this, you'll need to adjust the baking time to around 30 mins, but I think I overbaked them a bit this time haha! - they were a little black around the edges. Check on it after 25 mins to be safe. This is perfectly yummy on its own, with butter, or if you're like me you'll insist on having your icing as well!

Lemon Icing
2 cups pure icing sugar
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp softened butter

Combine all ingredients well, and spread over the cooled cake!



Yummy and fluffy on the first day, but it just gets denser and more flavoursome the next day and the day after that :)
Enjoy!





xx