Dundee cake

Sieve together the plain flour and baking powder into a separate bowl.

Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks like it's starting to curdle, stir in a tiny bit of the sieved flour to bring it back together.

Lower the oven temperature to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas Mark 3 and continue to cook for a further 60–80 minutes. Start checking the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the center.

When it's done, the skewer should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Check every 10 minutes after that; it's important not to overcook this cake, so the center should still feel a little soft.

Once the cake is cooked, remove it briefly from the oven. In a small pan, gently heat the milk and caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved completely. Brush this glaze over the top of the warm cake and return it to the oven for another 2–3 minutes.

Remove the cake and let it cool completely in the tin. Once it's quite cold, take it out, wrap it tightly in foil, and store it for at least 2 days before slicing. This resting period allows the flavors to deepen and the cake to mature.