Happy New Year everybody!

Have you made any New Year intentions? One of mine is to write more and share more blog posts so without further ado here is my recipe for Cheat’s Eccles Cakes.

If you don’t already know, Eccles Cakes originate from the Lancashire Town of Eccles in the UK. It is believed they were first sold commercially in around 1793 but their popularity stretches further back in history. It appears they were popular cakes at numerous community celebrations. So much so, that they gained the Puritan attention of Oliver Cromwell who banned the cakes for being inappropriately indulgent!

Eating them over the years in the UK, I have come across various recipes, with one version even using stale cake crumbs mixed with the fruit. Traditional Eccles cakes are made from flaky pastry and contain currants but I have adapted this recipe to make them super easy to put together with freezer and pantry staples so you can whip a batch up at any time. I swapped out the currants for sultanas as they are sweeter and less ‘gritty’ in my view.

Anyhow, let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy being ‘inappropriately indulgent’ as much as I do!

My Cheat’s Eccles Cake recipe is part of the What’s on your plate blog post link party. You can check out all the posts here

The link party is hosted by the wonderful bloggers:

Donna at Retirement Reflections

Deb at Widow Badass

Cheat's Eccles Cakes

New Leaf Health and Wellbeing

These individual puffed pastry cakes filled with juicy sultanas and spices are perfect with an afternoon cup of tea. Made from pantry and freezer staples you can whip these up within half an hour ready for any occasion.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Course cake, Snack

Cuisine British

Servings 8 cakes

Equipment

1 Baking Tray
1 Small saucepan

Ingredients

2 sheets Frozen ready rolled puff pastry Slightly defrosted so they can be cut and folded. Once defrosted keep in fridge until you are ready to use.
50 g butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
250 g sultanas (or currants)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 orange grated rind (optional)
1 egg
white sugar for dusting

Instructions

Place butter in a pan and melt over a low heat, then add brown sugar and spices and stir over a gentle heat until fruit looks plump.
Take off heat, add grated rind (optional) and egg yolk. Stir well. Allow to cool slightly.
Roll pastry into 2 squares if not already shaped. Divide each sheet of pastry into quarters.
Place a generous dollop of fruit mixture into the middle of each square until the mixture has been equally divided between all eight pieces of pastry.
Fold in the corners and any excess pastry over the fruit to make a round, sealed shape. Don't worry about making them perfect. You will need to work quickly so the pastry doesn't go soggy from the fruit.
Flip over each pastry pocket and place on a lined baking tray.
Brush egg white (or milk) over the top of each cake to glaze and then spinkle generously with white sugar.
Make three small cuts/slashes into the top of each cake.
Bake in a moderate oven at 180C until the cakes look golden, crispy and puffy.
Allow to cool and serve with a big pot of tea!