In this week’s shared cookery column, ANITA TASKER makes a spiced caramel cake which is hard to resist.

This is another one-bowl, bung-it-all-in mix and it’s a great easy one to make. It keeps very well but the smell when warm means that it may not make it past day one.

You will need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon, a set of scales and a 20cm round or square cake tin, greased and lined with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Plus a cake rack for cooling your cake.

Set your oven to moderate 180 celsius 350 farenheit Gas 4.

Ingredients

225g self raising flour
125g unsalted butter softened but not melted
200g dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon of each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger
125mls whole milk
If you don’t like any of the spices just don’t add them.

Put all ingredients into a bowl and beat well until all light and soft. If you have an electric hand whisk this makes the job very easy. But if you are trying to tone your arms, keep beating with a wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and place in middle of oven moderate heat for about 50-55 minutes. It will be firm to the touch with no wobbles. If worried put a knitting needle into the centre of cake and if it comes out sticky put back in oven for another ten minutes or so.

Leave to cool on your rack. You can top the cake if you like as shown in the picture. We use a can of condensed caramel sauce you can buy in all supermarket.

We beat this with 150g unsalted butter and leave to firm up in the fridge before coating the top of the cake. Believe me, it takes on another taste dimension with the caramel on top.

• Anita Tasker runs Pattacakes at Welburn.

Twitter: @Pattacakesshop