Eating In

250g dates, chopped
250g date syrup
225g unsalted butter at room temp.
120g dark brown sugar
4 eggs
4cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Grated zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp orange juice
300g self raising flour
2tsp baking powder
1 tsp each, grd ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and grated nutmeg
¼ tsp grd cloves
½ tsp salt
Heat the oven to 160C/320F/gas 2½. Grease a 20cm x 30cm baking tray and line with parchment. Blitz the dates and date syrup to a rough paste. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and using an electric whisk beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, ginger, orange zest, juice and two tablespoons of cold water. Whisk until completely combined, stir in the date mixture and set aside. In a large bowl mix together all the other dry ingredients, stir into the wet ingredients and pour into the prepared baking tray. Bake for 40 minutes until a knife comes out almost clean. Serve at room temperature with or without a scoop of ice cream.