Zesty carrot & ginger loaf

• unsalted butter↗100g g

  plus extra for the tin

• dark muscovado sugar↗100g g
• black treacle↗50g g
• golden syrup↗50g g

  (or use more black treacle if you like your ginger cake really dark)

• zest 1 orange
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• large carrot↗1

  grated (you will need 140g/5oz flesh)

• balls stem ginger5

  from a jar, finely chopped

• self-raising flour↗175g g
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda tsp
• ground ginger↗2 tsp tsp
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper tsp
• eggs↗2
• icing sugar↗140g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter then line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, treacle, syrup and half the zests into a large saucepan. Heat gently until everything has melted together.

2. 2

   Add the carrot, ¾ of the chopped ginger, all the flour, bicarb, ¼ tsp salt, the ground ginger, pepper and eggs to the pan and stir well until you have a smooth batter. Pour into the tin and bake for 45 mins, or until dark brown and risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool for 20 mins in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.

3. 3

   Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the remaining zests, then stir in enough lemon juice (about 4 tsp should do it) to make a smooth, thick icing. Cover the surface of the icing with cling film until ready to decorate the cake.

4. 4

   When the cake is completely cool, spread the icing over the top and let it dribble down the sides. Scatter with the reserved chopped ginger. Allow to set, then cut into slices and serve.