Rum and raisin loaf cake

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and line the loaf tin with baking paper.

2. Add all the ingredients for the syrup plus 30ml water to a saucepan over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, cook for 8-10 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, add all the cake ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until you have a nice smooth batter.

4. Strain the cooled syrup through a fine sieve set over a bowl, so you separate the syrup and the raisins (discard the cinnamon). Put the raisins in a food processor and whizz to a paste. Stir three quarters of the raisin paste into the cake batter along with 2 tbsp of the syrup (make sure you keep the remaining raisin paste and syrup). Pour the cake batter into the loaf tin and bake for 45-50 minutes. It’s ready when a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Once cooked, leave the cake to cool completely.

5. Prick the top of the loaf cake all over with a fork, then drizzle over the remaining syrup.

6. Whip the cream to soft peaks using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the vanilla and the remaining raisin paste and fold it through. Serve each slice of cake with a generous dollop of the raisin cream.