Eccles Cakes
Eccles Cakes from United Kingdom. Times were inferred from the source steps.
Imported from TheMealDB. Times and card copy were filled in for this listing, not kitchen-tested.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Eccles Cakes is listed as dessert from United Kingdom. The steps below are the imported TheMealDB method, not an editorial rewrite. Times shown were read from those steps.
Ingredients
- Butter250 g
- Wheat flour350 g
- Lemon, juice1
- Butter25 g
- Currants200 g
- Mixed Peel50 g
- Sugar100 g
- Ground Cinnamon4.9 ml
- Ginger4.9 ml
- Allspice4.9 ml
- Lemon, juice1
- Egg1
- Sugarto taste
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
To make the pastry, dice the butter and put it in the freezer to go really hard. Tip flour into the bowl of a food processor with half the butter and pulse to the texture of breadcrumbs.
Step 2
Pour in the lemon juice and 100ml iced water, and pulse to a dough. Tip in the rest of the butter and pulse a few times until the dough is heavily flecked with butter.
Step 3
It is important that you don’t overdo this as the flecks of butter are what makes the pastry flaky. On a floured surface roll the pastry out to a neat rectangle about 20 x 30cm.
Step 4
Fold the two ends of the pastry into the middle (See picture 1), then fold in half (pic 2). Roll the pastry out again and refold the same way 3 more times resting the pastry for at least 15 mins each time between roll and fold, then leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 mins before using.
45 minStep 5
To make the filling, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Take it off the heat and stir in all the other ingredients until completely mixed, then set aside.
Step 6
To make the cakes, roll the pastry out until it’s just a little thicker than a £1 coin and cut out 8 rounds about 12cm across. Re-roll the trimming if needed.
Step 7
Place a good heaped tablespoon of mixture in the middle of each round, brush the edges of the rounds with water, then gather the pastry around the filling and squeeze it together (pic 3). Flip them over so the smooth top is upwards and pat them into a smooth round.
Step 8
Flatten each round with a rolling pin to an oval until the fruit just starts to poke through, then place on a baking tray. Cut 2 little slits in each Eccles cakes, brush generously with egg white and sprinkle with the sugar (pic 4).
Step 9
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Bake the Eccles cakes for 15-20 mins until just past golden brown and sticky.
20 minStep 10
Leave to cool on a rack and enjoy while still warm or cold with a cup of tea. If you prefer, Eccles cakes also go really well served with a wedge of hard, tangy British cheese such as Lancashire or cheddar.
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
butter → olive-oil
Use a little less oil than butter. Pastry and laminated doughs are a different problem.
flour (a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)) → a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)
Coatings and roux can swap. Yeast breads need a blend designed for gluten-free baking.
lemon → lime
Same acidity, different perfume. Taste before you repeat the squeeze.
egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)
Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise.
Tips
- Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
History & culture
Editorial cultural notes have not been written for this imported dish.
Editorial history has not been written for this imported dish.
Inspired by
Provenance: Imported. Initial recipe data sourced from TheMealDB and adapted/reviewed by I Want Some Food. Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Eccles Cakes take?
1 hr 45 min all in — 40 min prep, 20 min cook, 45 min rest. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk, Wheat, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Oven, Baking tray, Saucepan, Blender.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
How much sugar?
100 g of Sugar.
How much sugar?
to taste of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
butter → olive-oil. Use a little less oil than butter. Pastry and laminated doughs are a different problem. flour (a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)) → a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread). Coatings and roux can swap. Yeast breads need a blend designed for gluten-free baking. lemon → lime. Same acidity, different perfume. Taste before you repeat the squeeze. egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish). Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise.
Any tips from this recipe?
Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.