Like most people, during lockdown we’re finding as many ways as we can to use pantry ingredients in fun and tasty ways. Having (mostly) mastered scones, banana bread & cinnamon rolls, it was time for a new challenge!

Having a rummage in the baking cupboard, all set for pushing outside my comfort zone, I decided it was time to make a loaf - a spiced loaf with ginger and some Wester Rum. Starting mixing away before checking if I had a loaf tin (I did not), so it became a loaf-cake.

One of my favourite things about spiced loaves is how easy they are, the recipe can be amended for whatever you’re looking to use or what you have in the back of the cupboard. Providing you have some form of spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice), flour, baking soda, butter and rum, you can make this spiced loaf!

I’m lucky to bake often so have a lot of baking ingredients at my disposal – this recipe calls for a variety of sugars and spices but if you only have one type available, you’ll still make a very tasty loaf!

Ingredients – Wester Spiced Rum & Ginger Loaf:
175g plain flour
1 and a half teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chosen spice (ground cinnamon recommended)
pinch of additional spice (I used all spice but anything will work, more cinnamon if it’s all you have)
120g butter, melted and cooled
200g white sugar
50g brown sugar
100ml milk
One chunk of grated fresh ginger - I didn’t weigh mine, it was just what I had lying around (approx. 1.5 inch cube)
60-80ml of cream (60ml if using double cream, 80ml if using single)
50ml Wester Spiced Rum
Dash of vanilla extract

Ingredients – Rum & Syrup Drizzle:
50ml Wester Spiced Rum
20ml Maple Syrup or Sugar Syrup

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 4 or approximately 180°C and line your tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Sieve the flour into your mixing bowl and add all your dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, spices and sugar) and mix until combined.

3. Slowly add all your wet ingredients (butter, milk, cream and vanilla extract) to the bowl and whisk until smooth. I added my rum in after everything else was mixed together to enjoy the sweet rummy smell on its own but this is not at all necessary!

4. Peel your ginger and finely grate into the mixture – the small holes on a box grater are perfect!

5. Give it an extra mix for good measure, once you’re happy with the spread of ginger, tip it into your tray.

6. Pop in the middle of your oven and allow to bake for 45-60 minutes. Brown sugar can cause some darkening on top so be sure to check frequently after 45 minutes.

7. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the drizzle!

8. Add your rum to a small saucepan and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes to heat off some of the alcohol – the bubbles should be small and frequent and not a vicious boil.

9. Add your syrup of choice to the saucepan – maple syrup works really well with a spiced loaf! Mix until the liquids have combined (should take no longer than two or three minutes).

10. Drizzle away! While the sugar mixture is still warm pour over your cake.

11. Serve it up how you like! Got some extra cream to use? Whip it and pop it on! Ice cream? Do it! Chopped nuts? Tasty!

Loaves are really easy to put together and a spiced loaf will have your house smelling amazing all day! Wester Spiced Rum is a great addition to this recipe as the notes of vanilla and citrus help the spices and ginger really pop!