Traditional Cornish Heavy Cake
Ingredients
- 500g plain flour
- 250g lard chopped into small pieces
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g currants
- 150ml cold milk plus a little extra for glaze
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Put the flour, lard, and sugar into a large mixing bowl and rub in the fat until there are no large lumps, similar to making crumble. Mix in the currants and then the milk, and stir well until the mixture forms one ball of dough.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and press the dough out to form a rectangular slab. Alternatively, press it into a deep baking tray and cut into squares later. Flour a rolling pin and roll it out to approximately 3 cm deep. Brush a little extra milk over the top and lightly mark lines to divide into squares.
Place the cake in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Check and turn it after about 20 minutes for even baking. It may be slightly under-baked in the center, which is preferred; for a drier texture, reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees and bake for an additional five minutes.
Dust with caster sugar and allow to cool until just warm before serving.
Tips
This recipe is traditionally preferred slightly under-baked in the center for a moist texture.
