Gingerbread cake with date syrup bourbon sauce

Butter a 23cm square baking tin and line with baking paper, then butter the baking paper, too.

For the cake, melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the ginger, black pepper, cardamom and lime zest. Leave to steep for 10 minutes.

Sift the flour, bicarb and ½ tsp of salt through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Reserve 2 tbsp of the flour mixture in a small bowl, add the crystallized ginger to it, then toss to coat well. Set aside.

Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the sugar, honey and treacle in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape out the melted ginger butter from the pan with a silicone spatula and add it to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on a medium speed for 4-5 minutes or until it turns a toffee-brown colour (you could use an electric hand whisk instead, if you like). Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl, add the crème fraîche, then mix on a low speed for 1 minute or until combined. Stop and scrape down the bowl. Mix in 1 egg at a time on a medium speed until combined.

Add the sifted dry ingredients in one addition and mix on a low speed for 30 seconds or until combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the speed set to low, add 270ml of water that has been warmed to 70C in a slow, steady stream and mix until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.

Fold in the floured crystallised ginger and transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking tin. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on the surface and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin. Run a knife along the edges of the tin to release the cake. Transfer to a serving plate.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small pan over a medium-high heat. Swirl the butter in the pan until the milk solids start to turn red. Whisk in the date syrup and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk
in the cream, followed by the bourbon and ¼ tsp of salt. Transfer to an airtight jar and chill until ready to use. You can make this sauce two days ahead of time.

To serve, cut the cake into 12 and serve with sweetened crème fraîche, a little lime zest and a generous drizzle of the date bourbon sauce.