• 225 g/8 oz self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 115 g/4 oz unsalted butter
• 115 g/4 oz dark soft brown sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 225 g/8 oz black treacle

Sift the flour, ginger, allspice, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until very soft. Beat in the eggs one by one, then mix in the treacle. Gently fold in the sifted dry ingredients.

Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 20cm/8in square, deep cake tin and bake in a preheated oven on 170°C/325°F/Gas 3 for 50-60 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed.

Cool in the tin, remove and store for a few days in an airtight tin before eating. The cake can be served in slices spread with butter, or with clotted cream and stem ginger.