Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

rock cakes

Recipe by
Denise Gregory
U.K

I got this recipe from a very old book, dated 1963, that we found at the very back of the under stairs cupboard shortly after we moved into our very first house 31yrs ago. I've used this recipe quite a few times over the years & it's never failed me. It's still very much a favourite with my husband & son.

yield 10 - 12
prep time 15 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For rock cakes

  • 8 oz
    self raising flour. (8 heaped tablespoons)
  • 4 oz
    good brand soft margarine
  • 3 oz
    castor sugar. (3 rounded tablespoons)
  • 4 oz
    mixed fruit & peel
  • 1
    egg. (if small, add 1 tablespoon milk.

How To Make rock cakes

  • 1
    Pre-heat oven to 400F: Gas Mark 6.
  • 2
    Prepare a baking sheet by brushing all over with melted margarine.
  • 3
    Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Cut the margarine into four and rub into the flour until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
  • 4
    Stir the sugar, the prepared mixed fruit and peel into the rubbed-in mixture.
  • 5
    Beat the egg or egg and milk and stir into the dry ingredients to form a stiff crumbly mixture.
  • 6
    Using a fork, place rough heaps of the mixture, a little apart, on to the prepared baking sheet - they will look small but will raise up and expand whilst in the oven.
  • 7
    Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 - 20 minutes.
  • 8
    Remove cakes from baking tray and cool on a wire tray. The cakes should resemble rocks, hence the name, but will be crumbly when you bite into them and melt in the mouth.
  • 9
    Note: I have made this recipe using glacé cherries sliced in half or quartered, instead of the mixed peel and have added a pinch of cinnamon to the dry mixture, which worked perfectly.
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