Gingerbread loaf

 A dark spicy gingerbread that is not too sweet but dense and moist with apple and treacle or molasses. 

Makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups flour
9 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons black treacle or blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons ginger powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda/ baking soda
3/4 cup/180 ml milk
1/4 cup/60 ml Fortune rice bran oil
1 medium apple, cored and diced (no need to peel, just wash it well and this way you can preserve the fibre from the skin)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Grease a loaf cake tin.
2. Puree the apple in a blender or food processor. Place in a microwaveable bowl and microwave for  2 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 2 minutes. 
3. Mix the sugar and treacle or molasses with the apple puree. 
4. Add the oil and beat with a fork or whisk until it is well blended. Add the milk and mix well.
5. Mix the flour, spices, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
6. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
7. Pour the cake batter into the greased loaf tin. The batter should spread out in the tin but tilt the tin if needed so that the batter lies flat.
8. Bake in a middle rack of the oven for 35-45 minutes until a knife or skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool completely before turning out of the tin and slicing.