Rock cake
Small cake resembling a rock
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A rock cake, also called a rock bun,[1] is a small cake with a rough surface resembling a rock. They were promoted by the British Ministry of Food during the Second World War since they required fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, important savings in a time of strict rationing. Traditional recipes bulked them with oatmeal, which was more readily available than white flour.
Scone (US)
Ireland
 A rock cake made by Golden Krust bakery | |||||||
| Alternative names | Rock bun Scone (US) | ||||||
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| Type | pastry | ||||||
| Place of origin | United Kingdom Ireland | ||||||
| Main ingredients | Flour, butter or margarine, sugar, egg, baking powder, water, dried fruit (currants, raisins, candied orange peel), nutmeg and mixed spices | ||||||
| 166.6 kcal (697 kJ) | |||||||
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Recipe
Mrs Beeton's widely known 1861 recipe book includes two early recipes for rock biscuits.[2] One calls for flour, butter, 'moist sugar', lemon, milk, and baking powder. The other recipe more closely resembles shortbread, as it uses flour, butter, and currants but no leavening agent.
A typical modern recipe for 12 cakes requires about 8 oz (225 g) of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 4 oz (110 g) of butter or margarine, 2 oz (55 g) of sugar, 4 oz (110 g) of dried fruit such as raisins, candied orange peel, etc., 2 oz (55g) of currants, 1 beaten egg, 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk 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 180°C (350°F; Regulo 4),[1][3] retaining an uneven form and contour.
Variations include the Jamaican rock cake, which is similar, but usually includes grated coconut, and the traditional British rock cake, which contains oatmeal.[citation needed]