This is a great alternative to a traditional fruit cake and works brilliantly at any time of year but especially Christmas time. We love it because it's a really simple recipe and makes a truly delicious cake. The pomegranate seeds and pistachios add a wonderful 'crunch' texture before the cake melts in your mouth. Perfect with a cup of tea.
For the cake:
- 150g unsalted butter
- 125g dark muscovado sugar
- 200g golden syrup
- 200g black treacle
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 250ml milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water
- 300g plain flour
For the glaze:
- 150g icing sugar
- Zest and juice of 1 clementine
- Juice of 1 lemon
To decorate:
- Pomegranate seeds
- Bright green pistachios
- Heat the oven to 180C, 160C Fan, Gas 4.
- Melt the butter, sugar, syrup, treacle, ginger and cinnamon in a pan.
- Take off the heat and add the eggs, milk, and bicarbonate of soda mixture.
- Put the flour into a bowl and pour in the wet mixture. Beat well with a whisk to make sure you have a smooth mixture; it will be a very liquid batter.
- Pour into a lined cake tin and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze. Mix all the ingredients together, adding more icing sugar for a thicker icing if wished, taste and adjust the flavour if necessary.
- Once the cake is cool, turn out on to a plate and drizzle over the glaze.
- Scatter over the pomegranate and pistachios.
