Recipe Archives->Cakes->Harcake

Harcake

2 oz soft butter
1 pound fine oatmeal
12 fl oz golden syrup
1/2 oz ground ginger
1 egg, beaten
a little brown ale (mild beer)

Set the oven at 350 deg F or 177 deg C.  Grease and baseline a deep
10 x 8 inch baking tin.  Rub the butter into oatmeal with fingertips,
then add syrup and ginger and combine well. add the egg and sufficient
ale to make a thick, smooth batter.  Pour into the prepared tin
and cook 1 to 11/2 hours, until firm and springy, covering the top
with foil if it browns too quickly.  Cool in tin for 5 mins, then
turn out onto wire rack.  When completely cold, cut into squares
and store in air-tight tin.

This is an old Lancashire recipe. The ginger cake was traditionally
eaten at Hallowe'en, when the departed souls are remembered.

Printable version: harcake.txt.