Five O’ Clock Tea Cakes: My latest bake is a vintage one from an old Borwicks Baking Powder book, which is permanently hung up in my kitchen
A Vintage Bake from an Old Borwick’s Baking Powder Cookbook
My latest bake is a vintage one from an old Borwicks Baking Powder book, which is permanently hung up in my kitchen.
It’s for Five O’ Clock Tea Cakes, a recipe I used to make a lot, but I haven’t recently……so, I decided to rectify that.
These aren’t like the yeasted tea cakes that most of us know, but are an egg enriched version of scones – with dried fruit, similar to rock cakes in texture.
They keep longer with eggs being added, but as with all quick breads, they are best enjoyed on the same day of baking.
The recipe is a classic rubbed in method, and butter is best when making these – again another ingredient that helps these little bakes keep longer in the cake tin.
They can be frozen, although I’ve never had enough left to do that!
The recipe suggests using currants or sultanas, I always use currants, in the manner of vintage currant buns.
I’m sure you could add dried mixed fruit – or even a little mixed peel to keep them moist.
I’ve stuck to the recipe rigidly when making them this time, and they were enjoyed buttered with a pot of tea for elevenses.
I know everything stops for a tea at three, normally, but these were obviously named as post school and pre tea treat when the recipe was first published, or even as part of a special High Tea.
Whatever is in a name, I hope you enjoy them if you make them, and please do let me know, Karen
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Notes
- The recipe below is as it was written in the old cookbook these came from.
- Here are a few amendments for modern day baking:
- A Quick oven is: 230C/220C Fan/450F/Gas mark 8
- Use Self-Raising flour in place of plain flour and baking powder.
- I DO have a muffin dish! But they are rare now – so serve them in a napkin lined bowl or basket, or just on a serving platter.
- Sprinkle the caster sugar over the tea cakes when they just come out of the oven,
- Use dried mixed fruit instead of currants or sultanas. (I used currants)
List of Ingredients
- 1/2 lb plain flour (225g)
- 2ozs caster sugar (50g)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2ozs butter (50g)
- 2ozs currants or sultanas (50g)
- 2 eggs, beaten
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Recipe for Five O’ Clock Tea Cakes
Five O’Clock Tea Cakes
Yield:
8
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Total Time:
35 minutes
Five O’ Clock Tea Cakes
My latest bake is a vintage one from an old Borwicks Baking Powder book, which is permanently hung up in my kitchen.
It’s for Five O’ Clock Tea Cakes, a recipe I used to make a lot, but not recently……so, I decided to rectify that.
These aren’t like the yeasted tea cakes that most of my us all know, but are an egg enriched version of scones – with dried fruit.
They keep longer with the eggs being added, but as with all quick breads, they are best enjoyed on the same day of baking.
The recipe is a classic rubbed in method, and butter is best when making these – again another ingredient that helps these little bakes keep longer in the cake tin.
They can be frozen, although I’ve never had enough left to do that!
The recipe suggests using currants or sultanas, I always use currants, in the manner of a vintage currant bun.
I’m sure you could add dried mixed fruit – or even a little mixed peel to keep them moist.
I’ve stuck to the recipe rigidly when making them this time, and they were enjoyed buttered with a pot of tea for elevenses.
I know everything stops for a tea at three, normally, but these were obviously named as post school and pre tea treat when the recipe was first published, or even as part of a special High Tea.
Whatever is in a name, I hope you enjoy them if you make them, and please do let me know, Karen
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb plain flour (225g)
- 2ozs caster sugar (50g)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2ozs butter (50g)
- 2ozs currants or sultanas (50g)
- 2 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Sift flour, sugar and salt in a basin.
- Rub in the butter.
- Stir in the currants with the baking powder, then add the beaten eggs.
- Mix lightly.
- Turn on to a floured board.
- Roll out to one inch thickness, then cut into rounds.
- Bake on a buttered baking sheet in a quick oven for fifteen minutes.
- Serve in a hot muffin dish, after splitting and spreading them with butter.
- Sprinkle a little caster sugar over the top.
Notes
The recipe above is as it was written in the old cookbook these came from.
Here are a few amendments for modern day baking:
A Quick oven is: 230C/220C Fan/450F/Gas mark 8
Use Self-Raising flour in place of plain flour and baking powder.
I DO have a muffin dish! But they are rare now – so serve them in a napkin lined bowl or basket, or just on a serving platter.
Sprinkle the caster sugar over the tea cakes when they just come out of the oven,
Use dried mixed fruit instead of currants or sultanas. (I used currants)
Nutrition Information
Yield 8
Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 274Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 62mgSodium 144mgCarbohydrates 49gFiber 2gSugar 23gProtein 5g
