Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin. Chop the date into small pieces and place in a small bowl and cover with 50ml boiling water, set aside to soften the dates. 

Place the flour, ground ginger, mixed spices and Bicarbonate of Soda in a large bowl and mix together.

Place the butter, sugar, treacle and chopped stem ginger into a saucepan and place over a low heat, stir until the mixture is melted – do not allow the mixture to boil, once melted remove from the heat.

Make a well into the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the melted mixture. Gently mix the melted mixture into the dry ingredients. Once combined beat in the eggs and milk. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf cake comes out clean – if the top of the loaf cake begins to brown too quickly cover with a pieces of greaseproof until the centre if baked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cake is cooled, lets make the buttercream; pop the butter and icing sugar into a large bowl and beat together using an electric hand whisk or freestanding mixer with the beater attachment, until smooth and combined – make sure there are no lumps of butter. Pop in the Vanilla Extract and cream cheese and beat together until you have a lovely light and fluffy buttercream.

Spoon the Cream Cheese Icing on top of the cake and smooth over the top of the cake using a palette knife. Sprinkle with crystallised ginger to finish. Your cake is now ready to serve and enjoy!