A rich and flavourful cake that is full of autumn ingredients.

(inspired by a recipe from Ripe Deli, Grey Lynn, Auckland )

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
1 egg
2 tsp lemon juice
½ cup (175g) golden syrup
1½ cup (225g) plain flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup (125ml) milk

Topping

50g unsalted butter
½ cup (80g) soft brown sugar
6 large feijoas, peeled and thinly sliced and tossed in juice of ½ lemon to prevent browning

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. Grease and line a 24cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.
3. To prepare the topping: in a small saucepan over a low heat, melt together the butter and the brown sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into the base of the prepared tin.
4. Arrange the feijoa pieces in an overlapping circular pattern on to of the melted butter and sugar. Set aside. Careful placement of your fruit is a must, as this is where the finished beauty lies.
5. To prepare the cake: in a large bowl or mixer cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, lemon juice and golden syrup and mix to combine.
6. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, ginger and cinnamon. In another small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the milk. Alternating between the milk and dry ingredients, add to the creamed butter, starting and finishing with the dry. Mix until combined, then pour the cake batter carefully over the feijoas in the tin.
7. Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes or until springy to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool.
8. Before turning the cake out onto a serving plate run a knife around the edge to release. Place a large serving plate over the top of the cake, Gripping the tin and plate together, flip over and place the cake plate side down. Carefully release the spring form tin and remove the baking paper.
9. Serve with whipped cream or custard.

Serves 8-10