 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2016) |
 A rock cake made by Golden Krust bakery | |||||||
| Alternative names | Rock bun Scone (US) | ||||||
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| Type | pastry | ||||||
| Place of origin | United Kingdom Ireland | ||||||
| Main ingredients | Flour, butter or margarine, sugar, egg, baking powder, water, dried fruit (currants, raisins, candied orange peel), nutmeg and mixed spices | ||||||
| 166.6 kcal (697 kJ) | |||||||
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A rock cake, also called a rock bun,[1] is a small cake with a rough surface resembling a rock. They were promoted by the British Ministry of Food during the Second World War since they require fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, an important savings in a time of strict rationing. Traditional recipes bulked them with oatmeal, which was more readily available than white flour.
Recipe
[edit]Mrs Beeton's widely known 1861 recipe book includes two early recipes for rock biscuits.[2] One calls for flour, butter, 'moist sugar', lemon, milk, and baking powder. The other recipe more closely resembles shortbread, as it uses flour, butter, and currants but no leavening agent.
A typical modern recipe for 12 cakes requires about 8 oz (225 g) of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 4 oz (110 g) of butter or margarine, 2 oz (55 g) of sugar, 4 oz (110 g) of dried fruit such as raisins, candied orange peel, etc., 2 oz (55g) of currants, 1 beaten egg, 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk and a pinch of nutmeg and mixed spices. Usually, flour and butter are first mixed until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs; then the other ingredients are added to create a stiff dough, which is dropped from a spoon to a baking tray or roughly formed with two forks. The cakes (optionally sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon) are baked for about 15 minutes at 180°C (350°F; Regulo 4),[1][3] retaining an uneven form and contour.
Variations include the Jamaican rock cake, which is similar, but usually includes grated coconut, and the traditional British rock cake, which contains oatmeal.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Lemm, Elaine. "British & Irish Food: Truly the Easiest Traditional Rock Cake Recipe". Archived from the original on 15 September 2016.
- ^ Beeton, Isabella (1861). Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management. S. O. Beeton Publishing. p. 1442.
- ^ Instruction & recipe book for your Kenwood Chef (Instruction & Recipe Book - Edition No. 18) (PDF), Havant, Hampshire, England: Kenwood Limited, p. 72, retrieved 2 January 2020
External links
[edit]- Cooking for Girls - Rock Cakes; a rock cake recipe written for children.