I love baking cakes, and have made hundreds over the years for family and friends. My late mother was a professional cook and passed on many tips and recipes which I have adapted to suit today’s trend for organic and free-range food. When my two children were small, I made novelty and celebration cakes from home, and when they became more independent, I ran a coffee shop in Mill Hill making not only dozens of cakes a week, but, salads and imaginative baked potato and sandwich fillings. However, the cakes were always the talking point. This Caramel Frosted Gingerbread became a favourite. Even people who say they don’t like ginger or coconut scoff this one.

Serves 12. Suitable for freezing for approx 1½ hours

Ingredients
● 325g (11 oz) light soft brown sugar
● 225 g (8 oz) unsalted butter
● 10fl ozs golden syrup
● 6 tbls stem ginger syrup
● 350 g (12 oz) self-raising flour
● 110 g (4 oz) dessicated coconut
● 25 g (1 oz) chopped stem ginger
● 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
● Half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
● Half a pint of milk
● 1 egg lightly beaten

Method
● Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C, gas 4
● Heat 8 oz of sugar, 6 oz butter, the golden syrup and 4 tablespoons of stem ginger
together until melted.
● Combine the flour, coconut, stem ginger, ground ginger and bicarbonate in a large bowl.
● Gradually beat in the melted syrup mixture, milk and egg. Beat for a further minute.
● Transfer to prepared greased and lined rectangular deep cake tin 25 x 20mm (10 x 8 in) and bake until skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean about 1 to 1½ hours. Remove from oven and cool in tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
● To make the topping, add the remaining sugar, butter and stem ginger syrup together. Boil for 1 minute.
● Remove from heat and allow bubbling to stop.
● Pour over cooled cake in one smooth motion, letting it drizzle over the edges.
● Immediately sprinkle over the remaining coconut and mark into portions.
● Leave to cool until icing has set.

Recipe: Caramel frosted gingerbread