Ginger Cake

6oz Butter

6oz Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

7oz Self Raising Flour

1Tsp Groun Ginger

1Tsp Bi carbonate of soda

1Tsp Baking Powder

3oz Preserved Ginger (Chopped)

2Tbsp Ginger Syrup

Cooking time: Pre heat oven to Gas Mark 4/180c and bake for 1 hour

Serving: 8" Sping bottom cake tin

1. Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl with a whisk for a few minutes until smooth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape around the edge to ensure it is all mixed in well

2. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs together for a few minutes until it has doubled in volumte

3. Whisk the egg mixture slowly into the creamed butter mixture until it is combined and forms a nice consistincy

4. Weigh out the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and ground ginger and sieve into a bowl

5. Add the chopped ginger to the flour mixture and stir in, so that it is coated in flour

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient mixture and stir in well, using a figure of eight is best, be careful not to over mix

7. Once the mixture if stirred in, add the ginger syrup and stir in well to the mixture is all mixed in together and you have a nice smooth dropping consistency

8. Grease the cake tin and pour the mixture into the tin and smooth out with a knife

9. Put in the oven and bake (Half way through baking, cover the cake with greaseproof paper to prevent the top of the cake from burning)

10. Once the cake is done, remove from the oven

11. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes (10) before removing it from the tin and transferring it to a wire cooling rack to cool

Ginger Icing

8oz Icing Sugar

2oz Butter

2Tbsp Ginger syrup

1. In a bowl cream the butter into soft

2. Sieve in the icing sugar a bit at a time and mix in with a fork and then a whisk

3. Once you have added all over the icing sugar, whisk the mixture together for a couple of minutes, this makes the icing nice and fluffy and light

4. When nearly done, add the ginger syrup and whisk for a further few minutes

5. Once the cake is cool, dollop the icing on top of the cake and smooth over

6. Decorate with ginger slices and glace cherries

7. Tuck in with a nice cuppa!

Chocolate Tiffin (Williams and Catherines Alternative Cake)

8oz Digestive Biscuits (Or any)

40z Butter

3 Tbsp Golden Syrup

2oz Cocoa Powder

4oz Mixed fruit including glace cherries

60z White Chocolate (Melted)

Spinkle of coconut

Chilling time: 30 minutes then 1 hour

Serving: 8" square tin cut into 9 good size pieces

1. Grease the tin

2. Crush the biscuits in a food processor or in a bag with a rolling pin

3. In a saucepan over a low heat melt the butter and golden syrup

4. Once melted, remove from the heat and sieve in the cocoa powder

5. Add the mixed fruit and stir in well

6. Add the crushed biscuits a bit at the time, mixing in well

7. Tip the mixture into the tin and press firmly down and smooth out

8. Place in the fridge / freezer and chill for 30 minutes

9. Once chilled, in a heat proof bowl place the white chocolate broken up and place over a pan of simmering water

10. Slowly melt the chocolate and stir so as to prevent it from burning

11. Pour the white chocolate mixture onto the chilled biscuit mix and spread out

12. Sprinkle with coconut

13. Chill again for at least a further hour

14. Remove and cut into 9 good size pieces and tuck in

N.B. Be aware, these will go as soon as they are finished because they are delightful!

N.B. You can use any kind of chocolate to melt on top, but I love white chocolate!