Once,
when
carol singers used to arrive in the street or on the village green,
they
would sing a medley of songs. The grateful householders would come out
with a special cake and ginger cordial or mulled wine - not only to say
'Thank you' but to keep them warm.
This cake has
other names, but we know it as 'Pepper Cake', but it is more commonly
known
as 'Carol Singing Cake'. The cake is very easy to make and it is heavy
as well as being slightly spicy. Wonderful for cold nights!
Ingredients:
675g or 1 ½
lbs plain four
225g or 8oz
butter
225g or 8oz
dark, soft brown sugar
25g or 1 oz
ground cloves
675g or 1 ½
lbs black treacle
4 eggs, well
beaten together
1 teaspoon
bicarbonate of soda
Milk as required.
Method:
1. Rub the
butter into the flour, using your finger tips, until the mixture looks
like fine breadcrumbs.
2. Now stir
in the sugar and the cloves.
3. Add the
treacle and the well beaten eggs.
4. Add the
bicarbonate of soda which has been mixed in a LITTLE milk to dissolve
it.
5. Pre-heat
the oven to 170'C / 325'f / gas mark 3
6. Put the
cake mixture into a well greased roasting tin and bake for 1
¾ hours.
Serve cold.
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