1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 30cm (12-inch) loaf tin* and line it with a strip of baking parchment. Set aside.

2. Separate the eggs. Set the egg yolks aside and beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

3. Add the butter and both sugars to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Next, add the egg yolks and mix in. In a separate bowl mix the spelt flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, gingerbread spice, and instant espresso powder (optional). Add to the large bowls in two batches, alternating with the milk – the batter will be quite compact at this point. Add the beaten egg whites in small batches and fold in carefully. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf tin, smooth out the top, and bake for around 45-55 minutes – or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven and cool down inside the baking tin for some time, then lift it out with the baking parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool down completely.

4. For the glaze, mix the confectioners’ sugar with ground cinnamon (or gingerbread spice) and then gradually add and mix with heavy cream until you get a nice and thick glaze. Brush the completely cooled cake with the glaze and let it dry completely before cutting the cake into slices.