Jamaican ginger beer & pineapple bundt cake

Method

• step 1

  Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and brush with oil the inside of a 2.4 -litre non-stick bundt tin. Make sure you get into any corners to ensure the cake doesn’t stick. Pour the milk and molasses into a pan and heat gently, whisking until the molasses has melted, then set aside to cool a little. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarb, sugar, spices and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Shake the bowl a few times so any lumps of sugar come to the surface and squeeze through your fingers.

• step 2

  In a jug, mix the oil, buttermilk, ginger beer and eggs. Add the cooled molasses mixture and whisk again, then pour into the dry ingredients, along with the chopped pineapple. Stir everything to combine, then scrape into the tin. Bake for 1 hr until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If not, return to the oven for another 10 mins and check again. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins, then very carefully turn out onto a wire rack.

• step 3

  For the glaze, combine the molasses, icing sugar and pineapple juice in a saucepan and set over a low heat. Whisk until smooth and glossy, then brush generously all over the cooling cake, allowing it to soak in. To serve, top with the glacé pineapple ( hold in place with halved cocktail sticks, if you like), and crystallised ginger. Will keep well in an airtight container for five days.