Week 29 - Banbury Cakes

Quote from website -  The Banbury cake reigns in the Midlands. Try this quick recipe for a teatime treat

Faff Factor = 7

Bake = 8

Keeping Up Appearances = 9

Total score = 24/30

When I'm having a conversation with my mum about my challenge and all the different cakes I'm having fun baking she always mentions Banbury cakes and that they don't sell them in the shop anymore.  I've never heard of these cakes so I searched the internet for the recipe and it's origins. According to wikipedia it is a spice, currant filled flaky pastry cake similar to the eccles cake.  It has been made and sold exclusively in Banbury, Oxon since 1586.  Luckily the good food website had a recipe which you can find here.

So onto the bake.  I have got to admit one thing, I didn't make my own pastry - gasp shock horror I hear you say, what a fraud, what a cheat, and all I can say to that is Yes I know.  I was reading my cook books on how to make the pastry and all in all it would have taken quite some time to make with the rolling and folding and chilling and rolling etc etc etc, so I went and purchased the best ready made pastry I could find (thank you Sainsbury's) and thank you Lorraine Pascale, James Martin and Hairy Bikers for giving me the permission to do this :-) and I'm hoping my scores reflect the fact I cheated.

My friend Sarah was visiting when they were in the oven so she was my chief taster once they have cooled. I had a little taste, the pastry was very buttery and the filling was tasty.  I made 10 little cakes and within 24 hours they were all gone! 

I managed to deliver some to my mum who was chuffed to bits that I made them especially for her and she said they were just as good as what she remembered them to be, so all in all, for me, a perfect result.

I vow to make my own puff pastry soon, but I think I'll leave that until the weather is a little cooler and when I have a spare few hours!

Speak to you all soon.  TTFN

Lynetta Xx