Rock cake

Rock Cake

A rock cake made by Golden Krust bakery
Alternative names	Rock bun
Type	Fruit cake
Place of origin	Great Britain
Main ingredients	Flour, butter or margarine, sugar, egg, baking powder, milk, dried fruit (currants, raisins, candied orange peel), nutmeg and mixed spices

A rock cake, also called a rock bun, is a small fruit cake with a rough surface resembling a rock.

Rock cakes originated in Great Britain, where they are a traditional teatime treat, but are now popular in many parts of the world. They were promoted by the Ministry of Food during the Second World War since they require fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, an important savings in a time of strict rationing. Traditional recipes bulked them with oatmeal, which was more readily available than white flour.

A typical modern recipe for 12 cakes requires about 200 g of flour, 100 g of butter or margarine, 50 g of sugar, 1 beaten egg, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 tablespoons of milk, 150 g of dried fruit such as currants, raisins, candied orange peel, etc., and a pinch of nutmeg and mixed spices. Usually, flour and butter are first mixed until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs; then the other ingredients are added to create a stiff dough, which is dropped from a spoon to a baking tray or roughly formed with two forks. The cakes (optionally sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon) are baked for about 15 minutes at 200 °C, retaining an uneven form and contour.