International Holiday Recipe #4-England-Carol Singing Cake

Carol Singing Cake, or as it is also called, Pepper Cake, apparently has it's origins going back to English Carolers. The Carolers would sing lovely songs and the persons at the homes would be so grateful that they would bring out slices of cake and mulled cider to say thank you as well as keep them warm. There could be other origins of course and other uses as well but this seems to be the most predominant one I can find.

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs plain four
8oz butter
8oz dark, soft brown sugar
1 oz ground cloves
1 ½ lbs black treacle or Ribbon Cane Syrup
4 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
Milk as required.

Pre-heat the oven to 325'f

1. Cut the butter into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the butter/flour mixture resembles bread crumbs
2. Stir in the sugar and the cloves.
3. Add the treacle or ribbon cane syrup and the well beaten eggs.
4. Add the baking soda which has been mixed in a small amount of milk to dissolve it.
5. Put the cake mixture into a well greased cake pan and bake for 60-90 minutes.

Serve cold.