Gingerbread Latte Christmas Cake

Ingredients

• 200g Co-op unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 350g Co-op self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
• 1½ tbsp ground ginger
• 150g Fairtrade dark muscovado sugar
• 200g golden syrup
• 100g black treacle
• 2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 100ml Co-op semi-skimmed milk
• 2 large Co-op British free range eggs
• 100g stem ginger in syrup, drained and finely chopped
• Gingerbread star biscuits, to decorate

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:

• 200g Co-op unsalted butter, softened
• 400g Fairtrade icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tbsp warm milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/Gas 3
2. Grease and line 2 deep 18cm-diameter round cake tins
3. Sift the flour, bicarb and spices into a bowl
4. In a pan, gently heat the butter, sugar, syrup and treacle, stirring, until melted
5. Stir in the coffee powder, then leave to cool for 5 mins
6. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine
7. Add the milk and eggs, whisk again until smooth, then fold in the stem ginger
8. Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 45-50 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean
9. Leave to cool in the tins slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
10. To make the buttercream, beat the butter until creamy and smooth, then whisk in the icing sugar, a third at a time, until incorporated. Once light and fluffy, whisk in the vanilla extract and coffee mixture until smooth
11. To assemble the cake, carefully cut each sponge in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Spread about 4 tbsp of the buttercream over the first layer, then put the next layer of sponge on top, and repeat until all 4 layers are sandwiched together with buttercream. Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake
12. Arrange gingerbread star biscuits on the top and sides of the cake. Dust over a little icing sugar and cinnamon to finish

To store: the decorated cake will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container. The stars will soften quickly once on the cake, but keep separately in an airtight container for up to a week

To freeze: for the sponges, when they’re cool, wrap in a sheet of greaseproof paper, followed by a double layer of foil. Label, then freeze for up to 1 month. For the buttercream, transfer to a freezer bag, seal and label. Freeze for up to 1 month