Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4 and grease and line a 20 x 30cm traybake tin with baking parchment. Heat the butter, sugar, treacle and spices in a large saucepan, stirring until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Step 2

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the milk, until combined. This should cool the mixture down enough to beat in the eggs without them scrambling, so beat in the eggs, then stir in the chopped stem ginger.

Step 3

Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and beat until well combined and smooth. The mixture will begin to froth, so immediately pour the batter into the lined tin, then bake for 30-35 minutes, or until risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Step 4

Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin, then wrap in baking parchment and tin foil and store in a cool, dark place. Ideally, store the cake for at least 3 days before icing so it matures and becomes stickier and even more flavoursome.

Step 5

When you are ready to ice the cake, beat together the soft butter and cream cheese using an electric whisk. Once well blended, sieve in the icing sugar and ginger syrup and beat again until the icing is light and fluffy.

Step 6

Smother the top of the cake with the cream cheese icing using a palette knife, then sprinkle the top with finely chopped crystallised ginger. This cake will keep for 2-3 days.