With a Margueritte Patten recipe to hand I thought I'd make her version of a sticky Gingercake.
Disaster.
As damp as a thousand wet socks and as flat as a piece of paper.
What on earth went awry.
Was it my scales? Could they be out of kilter? I had Mr Horsehound investigate. "No, they are sound" he said.
Hmmm.
Was I too heavy-handed with the treacle? Ummm no. I used exactly the amount stated in the recipe.
After many head scratchings I gave up. Can't win 'em all I said. And went onto make a Hairy Biker recipe.
A much simple lighter Ginger Sponge Cake.
I don't usually entertain BBC 2's strange couple, they grate on me. A bit too cheery. But this recipe was from one of their mums so I gave it a go.
Very Good.

A pair of Hairy Bikers and a Mum

Whenever I make Ginger Cake or Gingerbread it's always from a Mary Berry book. This time however Ms Patten seduced me from within the garishly coloured pages of her 1975 Hamlyn Cook Book.
Oh Mags, what were you thinking. The 6oz of black treacle HAD to be a typo. But I'll be magnanimous and let it go.

The Ginger Sponge Cake will be served warm tonight with a Lemon Custard.  But before that we'll be eating Marjoram Pork Chops with a Sweet Potato Mash, green beans and peas. Redcurrant jelly will be available.

Tonight I'm marinating some braising steak in oil, wine vinegar, parsley garlic( and other things which I've forgotten) for tomorrow's dinner....
No ginger I hope!

An old book