Barbados Swirl Cake

Cooking time: 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours

Description

This is a spicey cake - not overly sweet. My mum used to make it. I've no idea where she got the recipe from... I wonder if dad will know...

Prepare a cool oven (325 degrees F) Brush a 6 1/2 in round cake time with melted fat, line base and side with greaseproof paper then grease paper.
Cream marg and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat eggs and add gradually, beating well after each addition. Fold in flour with a metal spoon. Add 1 tablespoon milk and mix lightly.
Place spices and custard powder in a basin measure bleach treacle carefully. Levelling off spoon with a knife and make sure there is none on the underside of the spoon, add into spices in basin. Add 1 third of cake mixture, mix lightly until well blended.
Place alternate portions of plain and spiced cake mixture in prepared cake time. Lightly stir mixture with a metal spoon. Level top of cake mixture.
Bake in centre oven for 1 1/2 hours - 1 3/4 hours. Test by pressing with the fingers. If cooked cake would spring back, have stopped bubbling and have begun to shrink from side of tin. Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes then turn out, remove paper and leave to cool completely on wire rack.
Frosting Sieve icing sugar into a bowl, place butter and sugar in medium size sauce pan over low heat, stir with a wooden spoon until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons milk and vanilla essence add icing sugar in bowl beat until smooth, then quickly pour over cake. Spread frosting quickly over top and sides of cake, swirl with a round ended knife leave in a cool place to set.