Dundee Cake
a rich, fruity cake topped with almonds. It is often
served at Christmas.
You can omit the whisky or use another spirit if you
wish! Ingredients 8oz Flour
6 oz Butter
5oz Caster/granulated sugar
4 Eggs
1oz Blanched almonds
1.5oz mixed peel
6oz each of currants, raisins, sultanas (seedless white
raisins)
Grated rind and juice of lemon
1 level teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons whisky
2 tablespoons boiled milk and 1 tablespoon sugar Method Cream the butter and sugar in
a bowl. When it is white and creamy, slowly add the four
eggs (one at a time), plus a spoonful of flour with each
beating well all the time. Stir in the nuts and fruits.
Add the rest of the flour, (sifted with the baking
powder) and the whisky. Make sure the mixture is stirred
well . If it is too stiff, add a little milk. Place
mixture in an 8-inch greased and lined cake tin. Flatten
the top with hands which are slightly wet. Cover with
foil or greaseproof paper and bake at 325F (170C) or gas
mark 3 for two hours. Halfway through, take off the foil
and arrange the split almonds in circles on the top of
the cake. Check the cake with a skewer towards the end of
cooking - if it is still wet in the middle, put it back
for more cooking! 5/10 minutes before cooking is
finished, brush the top with the sweetened milk to create
a dry glaze. Keep in the tin for 15 minutes before
turning out on a wired tray. Store in an airtight
container
GRASMERE
GINGERBREAD
Grasmere gingerbread is still made and sold there. It was
originally made with oatmeal, which was the staple food .
Later versions used flour, it is still more like a
shortbread than the traditional cake-type gingerbreads
which are better known in the rest of the country. Makes
12 pieces Ingredients Plain flour - 225g (8 oz)
Bicarbonate of soda - ½ tsp
Cream of tartar - ½ tsp
Ground ginger - 2 tsp
Butter - 175g (6 oz), diced
Soft light brown sugar - 175g (6 oz)
Golden syrup - 1 level tbsp
Granulated sugar - for sprinkling Method
Pre-heat
oven to 170 °C / 325 °F / Gas 3. Butter a 20 cm (8
inch) sandwich tin.
Place the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and
ground ginger in a bowl.
Add butter and rub in until the mixture resembles fine
breadcrumbs.
Mix in the brown sugar. Carefully add the golden syrup
and lightly stir into the mixture with a knife.
Spread the mixture in the tin. level and bake for 45 to
50 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with granulated
sugar.Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
Cut into 12 wedges and remove from the tin. Place on a
wire rack and leave until cold.
Store in an airtight tin until required.
