Rum and raisin cake with muscatel syrup

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.

Place the raisins and rum in a bowl and set aside to soak for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the raisins are plump. Place the brown sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and chocolate in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the eggs, butter, milk and raisin mixture and mix to combine. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 32cm x 7cm loaf tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour5 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the muscatel syrup, place the rum, sugar and water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to the boil. Cook for 12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir through the muscatels. Set aside to cool. Slice the cake and spoon over the syrup. Serve with double (thick) cream if desired.