Plantain Gingerbread

Ingredients:

100g sugar
120ml water
400g half-ripe plantains, sliced
650g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
60g butter
240ml treacle (molasses)
160ml boiling water
whipped cream to decorate

Method:

Place the water and sugar in a saucepan and heat on moderate heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, peel the plantains and slice into the syrup. Cook for 5 minutes then remove the plantains and drain. Liberally butter a 22cm square cake tin and spread the plantain slices over the bottom.

Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg into a bowl. Meanwhile place the butter and molasses in a saucepan over moderate heat and gently bring to a boil. Remove from the heat then combine this mixture with the sugar solution in which the plantains were cooked. Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring all the while, until incorporated. Finally stir vigourously then pour this batter over the plantains in the tin. Place in an oven pre-heated to 170°C (325°F/Gas Mark 3) and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the pan to stand for 5 minutes on a wire rack then tip the cake upside down onto a serving plate.

Cut into squares, top with whipped cream and serve.