Have you seen our March competition photo?
Here’s a clue to the identity of this local landmark – it has put me in the mood for cake! And that got me wondering what my top ten classic British cakes would be. Here they are (not in order of preference because that would be too difficult):
1. Victoria Sponge
Don’t mess with my Victoria sponge. I like it pure and simple without any added fruity bits which you so often get these days. A typical Victoria sponge consists of raspberry jam and whipped double cream or vanilla cream. The jam and cream are sandwiched between two sponge cakes; the top of the cake is not iced or decorated apart from a dusting of icing sugar – and the whole caboodle was named after Queen Victoria who enjoyed sponge cake.
2. Chocolate Cake
Who doesn’t love a chocolate cake? There are so many variations and I am happy to try most from the fudgy ones to a brilliant mexican orange recipe I once tried with loads of tequila in. However, this version by Mary Berry is easy and pretty delicious
3. Swiss Roll
Ah – this is a nostalgic choice. Actually, the ones I had at teatime as a child came out of cellophane from the supermarket. They were not very high in quality but hey – we loved them To get the real thing for the first time was quite a treat. By the way they did not come from Switzerland. Some people believe they originated in central Europe, possibly being Austrian-inspired. The Lyons Bakery adapted them for modern factory production in the 1960s – don’t knock it, if you were alive in the 60s you’ll know what I mean.
4. Lemon Drizzle
I am confused – drizzle is what we British are supposed to be good at but this cake appears to be French! Does anyone know if this is true? Whatever its origin it has become a firm favourite this side of the Channel.
5. Dundee Cake
Dundee has a special place in my heart – I had my 21st birthday party there in the Barracuda Club – and I love this eponymous cake too.
6. Coffee & Walnut Cake
I love a cup of coffee but am not fond of anything coffee flavoured but when I tasted my mother-in-laws coffee and walnut cake I was converted. Delicious.
7. Madeira Cake
Sometimes the simplest things are the best – Madeira cake is one of those things. Pure pleasure.
8 Battenberg Cake
This is a light sponge with the pieces covered in jam. The cake is covered in marzipan and, when cut in cross-section displays a distinctive two-by-two chequered alternately coloured pink and yellow. It is a British cake but, like a lot of old recipes, its exact origins are unclear, with early versions were called “Domino Cake”, “Neapolitan Roll” or “Church Window Cake”.
9. Carrot Cake
Carrot cake has to be one of the nation’s favourites but is it British? Well, I always imagined it was American but there is a recipe for it in a French cookbook published in England in 1827. It could also be Swiss and is a hot favourite at children’s birthday parties there. It’s popularity here was revived because of rationing during WWII – and it has never looked back.
10. Christmas Cake
And then there’s the boss! I have noticed that rich, fruity, boozy Christmas cake tends not to get on best cake lists but it has to be the most famous British cake in the world. I would give it pride of place in any list. Let me know what you would put at the top of your cake parade.
