Rock Cakes (or Rock Buns, depending on your region of choice) are a pretty traditional British teatime treat. They don’t require many ingredients and can be as simple or fancy as you like. Grab a mixing bowl – these will be out of the oven before you know it.
I don’t profess to know the history of the Rock Cake, other than it was a popular bake during wartime. It’s a cake that can be made as rich or as mean as you like, though be warned: you’ll only get out as much as you put in. If you make it in a miserly fashion, the result you’ll end up with will be comparably lacklustre.
This recipe came from my Nan. I don’t know where she got it from, but it works for me and – hopefully – you’ll enjoy it too. Texture and effort wise, it sits somewhere between a Scone and a Raspberry Bun.
It’s a simple as mixing self raising flour and sugar together, rubbing in butter and adding a bunch of mix ins. Bind it all up with egg and milk, before putting balls of dough onto a baking tray. Top them with sugar before popping them in the oven and in about fifteen minutes you’ll have a hot, sweet, fluffy and delightfully crusted treat in your hand.
The recipe here will be a little vague. That’s on purpose, because the only limit with a Rock Cake is your imagination.
Take this post for example; there are four different versions of Rock Cakes pictured.
In the main you’ll be looking at Chocolate Orange Rock Cakes, made with 100g of Green & Blacks Milk Chocolate and a good handful of candied orange pieces.
The candied orange I used came from Germany, as usually only Mixed Peel is available in UK supermarkets (that’s a blend of orange and lemon). Candied Orange can be found online, however.
There’s also a version filled with sultanas and spiced with cinnamon, topped with cinnamon sugar. This is perhaps the closest version to a traditional Rock Cake, which is often made with currants, mixed peel and mixed spice.
The cakes that started this baking spree off were Date, Orange and Cinnamon.
Then there’s the White Chocolate and Glacé Cherry flavour.
The cherries were left over from Christmas cake making, so it just goes to show you should never throw anything away if there’s just a little of it left. Rock Cakes are the perfect way to dispose of fruity chocolatey odds and ends.
So what are the rules? Just use 100g-120g of whatever combination of add ins you like. Anything with chocolate in it is bound to be a winner. Especially if the cakes are consumed when they’re still warm from the oven!
Finally, Rock Cakes will keep a day or so in a sealed tupperware container, but they’re best eaten within a few hours of being made. They don’t contain much fat, so their lifespan is short. Treat them like a scone and if you feel they’ve gone a little stale, gently heat them up in the oven to refresh the texture.
Easy Rock Cakes
This traditional British teatime treat take less than thirty minutes to make from start to finish. Rock Cakes are very versatile and can be flavoured with any combination of mix ins and spices you like – so go ahead, get creative in the kitchen!
Course: Sweet Treat
Servings: 7
Ingredients
- 225 g Self Raising Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 75 g Butter, roughly chopped into pieces
- 100-120 g Chosen Mix Ins – Dried Fruit and/or Chocolate chunks
- 1 tsp Chosen Spices – Mixed Spice, Cinnamon etc. (Optional)
- 1 Medium Egg, Beaten
- 60 ml Milk
- 4 tbsp Caster Sugar or Flavoured Sugar (i.e. Cinnamon)
Instructions
- Pre-heat a fan assisted oven to 170 C (340 F) or standard oven to 190 C (375 F). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Mix the self raising flour, baking powder and caster sugar in a bowl.
- Add the butter to the flour. Gently toss to coat. Then, as though making pastry, lightly and briskly rub the fat into the flour using your fingertips.
- Add your chosen mix ins and spices, mixing thoroughly into the flour so that they’re well incorporated and the flour is preventing any sticky fruit chunks from sticking together.
- Beat the egg together with the milk. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour the liquid in. Using a rounded knife, cut the dry ingredients into the wet and gently but firmly bring the dough together.
- Divide the dough into seven pieces, roughly forming each into a ball. Place them on the prepared baking tray, spaced well apart. Top each piece of dough with a heavy sprinkling of sugar.
- Bake the Rock Cakes for around 15-18 minutes, until they’re just going golden and are cooked through. Remove them from the baking tray immediately to a wire rack. These are best served still warm from the oven, with a good cup of tea.
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FAQs
You will need to bring an egg, bowl of water, pot of flour, and bucket of milk to Rohak. Multiple cakes can be acquired after the quest by paying Rohak 100 coins for each one. The ingredients are not required again, although the cake still has to be cooled down again.
What is another name for rock cakes? ›
A rock cake, also called a rock bun, 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 require fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, an important savings in a time of strict rationing.
Why are my rock cakes so dry? ›
If your rock cakes are too dry, it might be because you overmixed the batter or didn't add enough milk. If desired, you can sprinkle a little coarse sugar or demerara sugar over the top of your rock cakes to give them a sweet, crunchy top. For heartier rock cakes, add oatmeal.
Where did rock cakes come from? ›
Rock cakes originated in Britain and were traditionally eaten at teatime. During the Second World War, the Ministry of Food promoted these treats because they were made using less sugar and fewer eggs than ordinary cakes, which made them ideal bakes during rationing.
How do you soften a rock hard cake? ›
5 Ways to Moisten a Dry Cake That's Already Baked
- Brush with simple syrup glaze. Velez recommends adding a simple syrup glaze to your cake layers if they end up coming out too dry. ...
- Soak your cake in milk. ...
- Fill the cake with mousse or jam. ...
- Frost the cake. ...
- Stick it in the fridge.
piffy on a rock bun (uncountable) (slang, Britain, idiomatic) A person ignored or sidelined from an activity. I hate your work parties: you always talk shop with your mates and leave me sat like piffy on a rock bun.
What is the birthday cake that looks like a rock? ›
Geode cakes are meant to mimic the natural rock formation, with the baker typically carving out chunks from the cake and filling the cut-outs with “edible crystals” made out of rock candy or isomalt shards. The crystals are then painted multiple colors to emulate the look of real geodes themselves.
What is a geode cake? ›
Geode cakes are stunningly decorated layer cakes meant to mimic the famous natural formation of rock and precious and semiprecious stones. Pieces of the finished and frosted cake are cut out, and then the cavity is filled with edible crystals made out of rock candy.
Why are my rock cakes flat in the oven? ›
baking powder – make sure it's in date as stale baking powder doesn't have any “ooomph” and will give you flat rock cakes!
What's the difference between a scone and a rock cake? ›
How are Rock Cakes different to Scones? Rock Cake or Rock Bun dough is stiffer than Scone dough and is handled a bit more. Rock Cakes are smaller and dropped onto the baking tray by the tablespoon or formed roughly with two forks, whereas scones are rolled/patted out and cut into shape.
However, you will need to add the raising agents that you would usually find in self-raising flour – without any raising agents your scones will be like rocks. And not in a nice Rock Buns kind of way! The general rule of thumb is to add 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 150g of plain flour.
What is Elvis Presley cake? ›
An Elvis Presley cake is a single-layer classic yellow cake that's topped with a pineapple glaze. Much like a poke cake, the syrup and juices of the pineapple will seep into the cake through fork holes, resulting in a decadent, ultra-moist cake.
What do rock cakes taste like? ›
Not surprisingly, I find that these little rock cakes are the best when almost bite-sized and matches really well with tea. They are slightly crumbly with sweetness mainly from the added dried fruits, accompanied by a decent buttery background. Taste-wise, they do slightly remind me of scones!
Why are rock cakes yellow? ›
What are the steps involved in baking Rock Cakes or say Sugar buns? Creaming : Butter and sugar are creamed together to form a light and airy turning pale yellow in colour thereby creating air pockets for the eggs.
Can you make 2 cakes at the same time? ›
Yes, when baking two cakes at once, you may need to increase the baking time slightly. However, the increase in time might not be significant; usually, it's just a few minutes more than the recommended time for baking a single cake. Keep an eye on both cakes and check for doneness using a toothpick or cake tester.
What's the difference between a rock cake and a scone? ›
How are Rock Cakes different to Scones? Rock Cake or Rock Bun dough is stiffer than Scone dough and is handled a bit more. Rock Cakes are smaller and dropped onto the baking tray by the tablespoon or formed roughly with two forks, whereas scones are rolled/patted out and cut into shape.
How do you pimp up cake mix? ›
Using your Mad Hungry Spurtle Set, sift and stir your eggs, fats, and liquids, to achieve that velvety batter we all know and love.
- Replace Water with Milk or Buttermilk.
- Substitute Oil for Butter.
- Use More Eggs.
- Add Vanilla Extract.
- Make It a Chocolate Lovers' Cake. ...
- Decorate Your Cake Like A Pro.
