Rock Cakes, or Rock Buns, are a tasty little confection that has been around for quite a while, but was heavily promoted during WW2, when many ingredients were rationed, to give an easy to make treat, with not too much of any of the rationed items.
I found a lovely recipe on BBC Good Food, which has a nice fruity filling with a mild spice flavour. The cakes are very easy to make and taste delicious.
A Pile of Rock Cakes
Rock Cake
Ingredients
- · 200g self-raising flour
- · 1 tsp baking powder
- · 1½ tsp mixed spice
- · 100g butter
- · 85g light muscovado sugar
- · 100g mixed dried fruits
- · 1 egg, beaten
- · 2 tbsp milk
- · demerara sugar, or roughly crushed sugar cubes, for sprinkling
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Tip the flour, baking powder and 1 tsp spice into a bowl. Add the butter, cut into small pieces. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture forms fine crumbs (or do this in the food processor).
2. Stir in the muscovado sugar and fruit, then add the egg and milk. Mix to a fairly firm dough. Spoon 10 rough blobs of the mixture onto the baking sheet, leaving room for a little spreading. Mix together the sugar and remaining mixed spice and sprinkle over the cakes. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown.