Molasses ginger squares

MAKES 9 SQUARES unsalted butter for greasing 150ml light beer (pale ale or lager) 175g molasses sugar (see Cook’s Note below) 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 200g self-raising flour 2 tsp ground ginger 3 large eggs 100g golden caster sugar 125ml groundnut or sunflower oil 3 tbsp ginger syrup from a jar of stem ginger plus 2-3 knobs of stem ginger finely sliced

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 23cm square brownie tin, 4cm deep or equivalent.

Place the beer and molasses sugar in a small saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, working out any lumps in the sugar with the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, stir in the bicarbonate of soda and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.

Sift the flour and ginger into a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar and oil and then slowly add to the flour mixture, stirring to combine.

Add the beer mixture in two goes, gently mixing it in. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until just firm to the touch – avoid opening the oven door during this time.

Remove from the oven, run a knife around the edge of the cake and, using the back of a spoon, drizzle over the ginger syrup to evenly coat the surface. Decorate with slivers of stem ginger. Cover with clingfilm and set aside to cool. This gets stickier overnight. COOK’S NOTE Molasses unrefined sugar is the ultimate brown sugar, darker than the darkest muscovado. ➤