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Dark gingerbread cake with mandarin compote

Topped with a jewel-like mandarin compote, this dark, spicy gingerbread bundt will be the crowning glory of any winter feast. From: gourmettraveller.com SERVES 6-8

375 gm (2½ cups) flour
180 gm (1 cup) light brown sugar
30 gm fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp each ground allspice and ground nutmeg
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
125 gm (1/2 cup) each molasses and golden syrup
160 ml (2/3 cup) vegetable oil
Mandarin compote
220 gm caster sugar
3 mandarins, segmented, pith removed
2 tbsp mandarin juice
Juice of 1 lemon
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1 tsp orange-blossom water

For mandarin compote, stir sugar and 100ml water in a saucepan over medium-high heat to dissolve sugar, bring to the boil, brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, and cook until caramel (8-10 minutes). Reduce heat to low, add mandarin segments and juices (careful as hot caramel will spit), vanilla and orange-blossom water, and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge until required. Mandarin compote will keep for up to a week refrigerated in an airtight container.

Heat oven to 180C. Combine flour, sugar, fresh ginger, ground spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, molasses, golden syrup and oil, and beat well. Add 250ml water, stir to combine, then add to flour mixture, whisking to combine. Pour batter into a buttered and floured 23cm-diameter fluted ring tin and bake until a skewer inserted withdraws clean (45-55 minutes). Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate to cool for a further 30 minutes. Serve with mandarin compote spooned on top. Gingerbread cake is best eaten on the day of making, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Note This cake works really well with a thick vanilla custard.