Treacle Gingerbread

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 125g butter, chopped
• 2/3 cup (160ml) treacle
• 1/3 cup (70g) dark brown sugar
• 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (115g) chopped glace ginger
• 1 1/2 tbs ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk

• Lemon icing

• 1 cup (150g) pure icing sugar
• 1 tbs lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 8x30cm bar pan with baking paper.
2. Combine the butter, treacle and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Combine the flour, glace ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk and treacle mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the lemon icing, sift the icing sugar into a medium bowl. Gradually add enough lemon juice to make a smooth, slightly runny paste. Spread over the cake and put aside to set before serving.

Notes

• 
  For serious ginger fans, chop up extra glace ginger and sprinkle it over the icing for added zest.