Eccles Cake — currant-filled flaky cakes
Eccles cakes are small flat puff-pastry rounds filled with butter-sugar-currant mixture, glazed and baked until the tops crackle and the currants nearly burst through. Named for the town of Eccles in Greater Manchester.
i. Origin & history
Eccles cakes have been made since the 18th century. They were briefly banned by Cromwell during the Commonwealth as overly indulgent — a charge that was perhaps fair.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 200 g currants
- 60 g muscovado sugar
- 30 g unsalted butter
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp allspice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp brandy
- 1 egg white for glaze
- Granulated sugar to top
iii. Method
- Heat butter; stir in currants, sugar, spices, zest and brandy. Cool.
- Cut puff pastry into 12 cm rounds. Place a generous tablespoon of filling in the centre; gather edges up and pinch closed. Turn seam-down and press flat with a rolling pin until you can see the currants through the pastry.
- Score the top three times. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 220 °C for 15-18 min until deeply golden.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Banbury cakes are the oval Oxfordshire cousin. Chorley cakes are flatter and made with shortcrust. Modern Eccles cakes sometimes add candied peel.
vi. Common questions
What is eccles cake?
Eccles Cake is currant-filled flaky cakes, from british & irish cuisine. Named for the town of Eccles in Greater Manchester
Where is eccles cake from?
Eccles Cake is from the british & irish dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does eccles cake keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 3 days at room temperature.