Just for added confusion for those arriving via {Google}, this is the cake and not a loaf of bread with ginger in it

Based on an original recipe by Be-Ro from my Gran’s 16th edition of “Be-Ro Home Recipes” and modified by my Mum and more recently myself. From some background on Be-Ro it would seem likely that this particular edition was from around the 1930’s, and is both simple and tasty: the speed my kids lick out the mixing bowl isn’t any slower than the stories I heard about my Mum…

455g Self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
2 Tsp ground ginger
1/2 Tsp mixed spice
255g Caster sugar
55g Margarine
125g Golden syrup
125g Treacle
1 Egg
180 ml Milk

Mix the flour, salt, spices and sugar thoroughly. Warm the margarine, syrup and treacle and stir together. Beat the egg and milk, and add this and the treacle mix to the dry ingredients a little at a time. Mix thoroughly.

Pour into a greased shallow tin, and bake at 170°C for 50 to 60 minutes.

The oven in this case is electric and fan assisted, and the amount of milk required for a nice mix can vary, sometimes up to 250ml depending upon who was helping me measure out the flour… Placing the margarine, syrup and treacle in a plastic pot and microwaving for 30s (800W oven) gets the mixture just warm enough that a minute with a fork will get the ingredients mixed and liquid enough to add to the rest of the ingredients.

There are two stages to this cake: eating it whilst still warm from the oven, the top is a crispy shell with warm soft cake underneath, and once cool, leaving in a tin for 24 hours will cause the top to soften into a slightly darker, sticky layer, with a more treacly taste. Both versions are pleasant 🙂

Also worth trying warm with custard.