Eccles Cakes the Classic British Tea Cake
Delight in the timeless charm of Eccles Cakes, the classic British tea cake that perfectly blends flaky puff pastry with a rich, spiced currant filling. This traditional recipe features easy-to-use ready-made puff pastry enveloping a luscious mixture of currants, mixed peel, and warm spices like cinnamon and allspice, all sweetened with brown sugar and finished with a crunchy sugar topping. With just 40 minutes of prep time, these golden, buttery, and perfectly spiced pastries are an irresistible treat to pair with your afternoon tea or coffee. Whether you’re serving them warm or at room temperature, Eccles Cakes promise a bite of British heritage in every mouthful. Perfect for tea parties, cozy gatherings, or indulgent snacking, these little treasures are as versatile as they are delightful!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 500 grams Ready-made puff pastry
- 50 grams Unsalted butter
- 75 grams Soft brown sugar
- 150 grams Currants
- 50 grams Mixed peel
- 1 teaspoon Ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 large Egg white
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Add the soft brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the currants, mixed peel, ground allspice, and ground cinnamon. Let the mixture cool completely.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Use a round cutter (10cm diameter) to cut out 12 circles of pastry.
Place 1 tablespoon of the spiced currant mixture into the center of each pastry circle. Gather the edges of the pastry up towards the center and pinch them together to seal the filling inside.
Turn the sealed pastry balls seam-side down, then gently flatten them into a disc shape. Place them on the prepared baking tray.
Using a sharp knife, make 3 small slashes across the top of each Eccles cake to allow steam to escape during baking.
Lightly beat the egg white and brush it over the top of each Eccles cake. Sprinkle them generously with granulated sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up.
Remove the Eccles cakes from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
4127 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 223.9 g | 287% | |
| Saturated Fat | 100.6 g | 503% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 111 mg | 37% | |
| Sodium | 2368 mg | 103% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 536.6 g | 195% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 23.1 g | 82% | |
| Total Sugars | 232.7 g | ||
| Protein | 44.3 g | 89% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 315 mg | 24% | |
| Iron | 16.9 mg | 94% | |
| Potassium | 1873 mg | 40% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
