Okay, so it may be named after our favourite Spice Girl, but this Ginger Spice loaf cake is packed full of amazing flavours thanks to ginger, cinnamon, golden syrup, treacle and a delicious cream cheese icing. 

Prepare to be surprised as this will soon be one of your favourite bakes!  

   
Ingredients:

• 60g butter (room temp)
• 100g (4 tbsp) golden syrup
• 25g (1 tbsp) black treacle
• 100g plain flour
• 25g self raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp of ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon or mixed spice (your choice, I just prefer cinnamon)
• 100g caster sugar
• 125ml of milk
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt

For the icing:

• 300g soft cheese
• 100g soft butter
• 100g icing sugar

Method:

1. To start (though I am terrible at actually doing this first), grease and line a 2lb loaf tin or 20cm square cake tin. Then preheat the oven to 170c/gas mark 3
2. Place the butter, golden syrup and black treacle in a small saucepan and melt on a very low heat (to avoid over boiling and a ruined pan!), stirring occasionally until mixed well. Remove off the heat and allow to cool – the mixture may separate slightly but this is fine, just give it another stir when it comes to adding it to your second batch of ingredients (below)
3. Sift both flours, cinnamon, ginger and soda into a mixing bowl then add the sugar, pinch of salt and stir together
4. Then add the egg and milk, and mix under its completely smooth. Gradually add in the melted butter/syrup mix, stirring until it is well combined. You should then have a slightly runny batter mix
5. Pour your batter mix into the loaf tin and bake between 45-50 mins, checking regularly. Once it has risen and firm to touch, leave to cool in the tin for 5-10 mins before turning out onto a plate/wire rack to cool
6. Whilst your lovely cake is cooling, this is a great time to start on the icing. With a whisk or a bit of elbow grease, beat together the soft cheese and butter, gradually adding in the icing sugar until you achieve a smooth and sweet icing
7. Spread your icing onto your cooled loaf cake (generously, of course) and finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or ginger for presentation. Ta da!

Nic x