“It’s easy to make too much porridge and easier still to chuck out what you don’t eat – but that would be wrong,” says Sue Quinn, author of Second Helpings.

“There are lots of lovely ways to use up leftover porridge but the best, in my opinion, is this divine sticky ginger cake. Of course, you don’t have to make this as soon as you’ve finished breakfast.

“Leftover porridge will last in the fridge for a couple of days, and it freezes well – just defrost when you feel a sticky ginger cake urge coming on.”

Sticky ginger cake

Ingredients:(Serves 2)

Vegetable oil, for brushing175g plain (all-purpose) flour½tsp ground cinnamon1½tsp ground ginger¾tsp bicarbonate of sodaA pinch of fine sea salt80g unsalted butter130g golden syrup130g black treacle140g cold porridge1 large egg25g chopped crystallised ginger, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas mark 4. Line a 20-centimetre square baking dish with baking paper so it comes up and over the sides: lightly brushing the dish with oil first keeps the paper in place.

2. Put the flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a mixing bowl and combine with a fork.

3. Melt the butter in a medium pan then remove from the heat. Stir in the syrup and treacle. Loosen the porridge (oatmeal) by stirring it well, then add to the buttery syrup along with the egg. Beat with a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine and break up larger bits of porridge.

4. Stir the mixture into the flour and spices, until everything is fully combined. Pour into the prepared dish, making sure the batter fills the corners. Smooth the top and stud with chopped ginger.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm to touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave in the dish for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack to cool using the overhanging baking paper as handles.

Second Helpings by Sue Quinn is published by Quadrille, priced £18.99. Photography by Facundo Bustamante. Available now