A traditional Rock Cakes recipe from England, also known as Rock Buns, these favorite pastries feature that famous craggy exterior with a buttery tender crumb that’s flavored with dried currants, candied lemon peel and mixed spice. They’re super easy to make and are positively delicious!
serves 6
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or pastry flour
1/2 cup caster sugar (make your own by pulsing regular granulated sugar in a blender until finely ground)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
homemade mixed spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold butter , diced and chilled
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried currants (aka zante raisins)
3 tablespoons finely chopped candied lemon peel
homemade candied lemon peel
Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line a baking sheet.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and mixed spice in a mixing bowl. Add the cold diced butter.
Use your hands to the butter into the flour, working quickly, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. You can also do this by pulsing the mixture in a food process.
In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Add this to the flour mixture. Use a fork to stir the mixture until it comes together in a clumpy mass of dough. The mixture shouldn’t be too wet but if it’s too dry to form into clumps for baking add just a tiny bit more milk.
Stir in the dried currants and candied lemon peel, using your hands if needed but be careful not to over-mix the dough. If the dough has become too warm, chill it for 30 minutes or so before baking.
Break off 6 chunks of the dough, with each chunk weighing 95-100 grams for uniform sizes. Place these on a lined baking sheet, spread a couple of inches apart from each other.
Bake the rock cakes on the middle rack for about 20 minutes or until they turn light golden.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the rock cakes sit for a couple of minutes until they’re cool enough to handle and then serve immediately while still warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcal
Carbohydrates: 57g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 78mg
Sodium: 273mg
Potassium: 257mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 31g
Vitamin A: 642IU
Vitamin C: 1mg
Calcium: 77mg
Iron: 2mg