SERVES 10–12

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180g unsalted butter, at room temperature

160g soft dark brown sugar

160g soft light brown sugar

finely grated zest of 1 large orange (1 tbsp)

3 large eggs

120g soured cream

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp mixed spice (or quatre épices)

225g plain flour

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp malt vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

icing sugar, for dusting

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1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5. Grease a regular 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment, then set aside.

2. Place the butter, brown sugars and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Cream until lightened and smooth but not too fluffy: you don’t want to aerate the cake too much.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs by hand. Add the soured cream and vanilla and whisk again until smooth.

4. Sift the mixed spice, flour and salt together into a separate bowl and set aside.

5. In alternate batches, and with the machine on a medium-low speed, add a third of the egg and soured cream mixture to the creamed mix, followed by a third of the sifted dry ingredients. Continue with the second and third batch, continuing to mix until combined. Stir the bicarbonate of soda with the vinegar in a small bowl: it will fizz up a little, but that’s fine. Add this to the mixture and as soon as everything is combined, turn off the machine. Don’t worry if the mixture starts to split at this point: it will still cook up well. Scrape the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

6. Remove the cake from the oven on to a wire rack for about 15 minutes to cool slightly before inverting on to a cake plate. Set aside until completely cool, then dust with icing sugar.

This cake is best served at room temperature, as the flavour of the spice becomes more pronounced. The cake will keep well for up to 5 days in a sealed container.