Sugar, spice, all things nice

THIS spiced ginger and chocolate cake with creamy mascarpone icing is the perfect rich sweet treat for a cosy afternoon.

SERVES: 12 PREP: 35 minutes COOK: 1 hour Ingredients

250g unsalted butter, at room temperature

155g (¾ cup) raw caster sugar

100g (¼ cup) golden syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

100g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa), melted, cooled, plus 40g, extra, melted, cooled

190g (1¼ cups) plain flour 30g (¼ cup) dark cocoa powder

3 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 40g (¼ cup) crystallised ginger, chopped

125ml (½ cup) buttermilk Crystallised ginger, coarsely chopped, to serve

MASCARPONE ICING:

250g ctn mascarpone

60ml (¼ cup) thickened cream

45g (¼ cup) icing sugar mixture, sifted

1 tsp ground ginger, sifted 1 tbsp golden syrup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan forced. Grease an 18cm square cake pan and line the base and sides with baking paper.

2. Use electric beaters to beat the butter, raw caster sugar, golden syrup and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With the beaters on low, beat in the chocolate until just combined.

3. Sift the flour, cocoa, ginger, baking powder and bicarb over the butter mixture. Add the crystallised ginger and buttermilk. Stir until smooth and combined. Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes-1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. To make the mascarpone icing, use electric beaters, on medium-low, to beat all the ingredients in a bowl until soft peaks form. (Do not overbeat.)

5. Spread the mascarpone icing over the top of the cooled cake. Top with the extra crystallised ginger and drizzle with the extra chocolate to serve.

Recipe by Katrina Woodman Photo by Taste Magazine