Spicy Date and Ginger Squares

I am a great fan of ginger flavoured cakes but not crystallized ginger. this recipe is from Australian Gourmet Traveller March 2002 edition I think. It is one of many recipes cut out of magazines waiting their turn to get cooked.

Photo to follow.

170 g (1 cup) chopped dates
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
125 g soft butter, chopped
220g (1 cup) Castor sugar
2/3 cup golden syrup
2 eggs
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground allspice ( I used 1/2 cinnamon and 1/2 nutmeg)
300 (2 cups) plain flour
icing
60g soft butter, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons golden syrup
240g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- combine dates and milk in small bowl and bring just to the boil, ,remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda and let it stand for 10 minutes
-beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add golden syrup and beat til well combined
-add eggs, one at a time beating well then add spices and half the flour and mix well.
-stir in date mixture and mix until smooth then add remaining flour and mix well
- pour into a 20 x 30 cm lined tin and bake 180C for 30-35 minutes
- stand in tin for 5 minutes and turn onto rack to cool
icing
- beat butter ginger and golden syrup until soft and well combined.
-add icing sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and beat well after each addition, then stir in lemon juice and mix well
-spread over cake
-cut into 5cm squares
-can keep in an airtight container for up to a week
-makes about 24 squares