By Keighley’s Mike Armstrong, an award-winning master baker with a big passion for baking...

THIS week's recipe, Jamaican ginger cake, helps me celebrate my 300th column published in the Keighley News.

But is a treacle cake the ultimate sticky winter warmer, or do you have another classic up your sleeve for the remainder of winter?

I do believe the British make the best cakes in the world, bar none – Victoria sponge cake, tea loaves, Battenberg etc. And when the weather settles back into grim default after Burns Night, comforting cakes will always make more than one appearance, being very familiar to anyone who's ever passed through the UK education system. For over 50 years a well-known cake maker produced their sticky Jamaican ginger cake. I'm sure many readers have fond memories of it being served, buttered or not, with a cup of tea or even as an after-dinner pudding covered in custard.

Although this cake fell into decline when the company sold out, it was revamped a few years ago in its original form, but carried the strapline ''a sticky pudding cake'' – presumably this was due to product description and various forms of legislation. So the big question is, can you make it at home using easy-to-hand ingredients and still come close to the original taste – or even better?

Treacle sponge cake is right up there with the best of them. Swimming in golden nectar, this great national institution was created by a thrifty Victorian Scot using waste products from his sugar refining business, and has been enjoyed by generations of doughty cake lovers ever since. With sugar a primary ingredient in treacle cake, this kind of hearty end to a meal is what most of us can't afford to indulge in on a regular basis. But this sugary godsend cake that warms the body and soul is always welcomed on a cold and miserable day.

Think on, the urge for cake tends to hit you at the wrong time of day. Often you have abandoned the idea of making one and opt for a shop-bought version, blasted in the microwave with custard while settling down to watch Countdown.

But remember, if you do have a sweet tooth this recipe can be rustled up in no time – now that is a conundrum!

RECIPE

JAMAICAN GINGER CAKE

Ingredients (yields four to six good portions):

200g/7oz self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

100g/3.5oz butter

60g/2oz black treacle or molasses

80g/3oz golden syrup

100g/3.5oz dark brown sugar

180ml/6fl oz milk

2 eggs, beaten

Method:

1. Line 2 x 1lb or 1 x 2lb loaf tins with butter and baking paper and preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/Gas Mark 3.

2. In a large mixing bowl sift over the flour, baking powder and spices.

3. In a small saucepan over a low heat setting, melt together the black and golden syrups with the butter and brown sugar.

4. Pour over the melted syrup mixture into the bowl, mix the milk and eggs together and add a little at a time to a thick batter using a wooden spoon.

5. Pour the mixture into the tins of choice and bake for around 40 minutes until risen and firm to touch for the 1lb tins, and 60 minutes for the 2lb tin.

6. Leave to cool a little and best served sliced with custard or on its own, buttered, with a nice cup of tea.