Traditional British Rock Cakes
These traditional British Rock Cakes are quick, easy, and absolutely perfect for afternoon tea or a quick snack. They get their name from their rustic, craggy look—not their hardness! If you love a buttery scone or a chewy cookie, you'll love this classic recipe.
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour - 200g
- Sugar - 60g
- Unsalted butter (Room temp.) - 100g
- Eggs - 1
- Salt - a pinch
- Raisins - 50g
- Baking powder - 1 tsp
- Vanilla - 1 tsp
- Fresh milk - 2 tbsp
The rock cake recipe steps
- Start by preparing the foundation of your delicious rock cakes.Take your flour, salt and baking powder, and gently sieve them into a large mixing bowl. This simple step incorporates air for a lighter texture. Now, stir in your sugar and a dash of vanilla to introduce the essential sweetness.
- Next, add your cubed butter to the bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture. You're aiming for a texture that resembles fine breadcrumbs—this is what makes your rock cakes so wonderfully crumbly!
- Pour in your raisins (or any dried fruit you choose) and give everything a good stir to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the crumbly mix.
- In a separate bowl, lightly beat your egg, and then add it into the flour mixture. Follow this with a splash of fresh milk. Now, here's the secret to a great rock cake: do not over-mix or knead the dough! Just use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix until all the ingredients are barely combined. The final mixture should be sticky and lumpy—perfectly rustic!
- Take generous, golf-ball-sized spoonfuls of the sticky mixture and simply drop them onto your prepared baking tray. Remember, resist the urge to handle the mixture or roll them into neat balls; the unique, rough shape is what gives the rock cake its charm (and its name!).
- Place your baking tray into a pre-heated oven at 190°C (375°F). Bake the rock cakes for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when lightly tapped.
