Banbury Cakes
Banbury Cakes are an oval-shaped, dried fruit filled pastry similar to the Eccles Cake, though originally were quite different from the modern pastry. Besides the mixed dried fruit, the filling usually includes mixed candied citrus peel, brown sugar, rum or brandy and nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon.
In my bakery in Yorkshire the UK we made something very similar but only around Christmas time which we called Christmas Eve Cakes but instead of the various ingredients mentioned above, we used sweet mincemeat which produced an almost identical cake to a Banbury Cake and was something a little different to the usual festive ‘Mince Pie’.
You can also view my Video tutorial by clicking the photo below
Banbury Cakes
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Ingredients
- 250 g dried fruit mix sultanas 45%, raisins 25%, currants 15%, candied orange & lemon peel 15%
- 500 g puff pastry all-butter
- 85 g unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp lemon juice
DISCLAIMER
I recommend using the Metric measurements (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
Instructions
- To make filling, melt the butter in a pan over a low heat and stir in the spices.
- Remove the pan from heat and add the mixed dried fruit, sugar, rum/brandy and lemon juice, then mix together well. Allow to stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes
- Rollout your pastry to about 5mm (just under 1/4in) thick and cut into 12cm (5in) squares. This recipe will make roughly 10 - 12 cakes.
- Place a couple of teaspoons of filling on one of the pastry squares, dampen the edges with water and fold two opposite corners to meet at the top and crimp the edges together and then turn the whole thing over so the seam is underneath. Now carefully press the cake down a little with the flat of your hand and shape the cake into a nice oval shape.
- Do this with each cake before going onto the next one, otherwise the filling will make the pastry soggy and not easy to handle.
- Make-up the rest of the cakes. Then using a sharp knife, score three slits in the top of each.
- Brush the tops with water and dip each cake in Granulated sugar.
- Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Check about halfway through to make sure they’re not burning around the edges.
Paul's Tips:
For more detailed directions you can view my Video tutorial at this link:
Category: Baking, British, Cakes, Pastries & Biscuits, Recipes, Teatime Treats, Snacks, Party Food, Vegetarian,, Vegan & Free From, Videos
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