I make a lot of cakes but I often give them away and rarely hanker after them myself. I certainly like a slice now and then but I don’t crave cake like some people do. However, over the weekend, I had a hankering for a sticky, syrupy, gooey cake – I think partly because we’ve returned from a super hot and sunny holiday in Corsica to a chilly, wet and miserable UK, I just really needed some warming comfort food! There is a recipe already on my blog for a golden syrup cake which is pretty yummy, but it wasn’t what I was after – it had to be sticky and syrupy at the same time. So, into the kitchen I went, with my figurative experimenting hat on, and here’s the resulting cake – super tasty and syrupy with a lovely sticky top and rivers of syrup drizzle running through the light and delicate sponge (yes, you heard me right ‘rivers of syrup’ now who could resist that!) This may be the ultimate bear hug of a comforting cake, and you may think it more suitable for cold crisp days, but as isn’t iced it travels extremely well, in fact the flavour improves if it warms a little, making it perfect for summer picnics too.

Sticky Syrup Cake

(dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, soya-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan)

200g self-raising flour 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 50g soft brown sugar 50g golden syrup Pinch of salt 100ml sunflower oil 150ml dairy-free milk 1/2 tsp lemon juice

For the topping:

1 1/2 tbsp golden syrup, warmed until runny Pearl sugar for sprinkling (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade and line a loaf tin
2. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate and salt. Stir in the sugar.
3. Combine the syrup, oil, dairy-free milk and lemon juice. Give it a stir and pour into the dry. Gently mix to make a smooth and runny batter
4. Pour into the lined tin and bake for about 40 minutes until risen, golden and a knife comes out clean
5. Whilst the cake is still warm, prick the top with a skewer or knife and spoon over the syrup 9which has been warmed to make it extra runny), sprinkle with pearl sugar if using. Remove from the tin and leave to cool.