Name: Eccles Cake (A Traditional English Pastry Recipe)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: British, Scottish
Ingredients: 1 package of puff pastry (or flaky pastry); 1 tbsp (15g) good quality butter, like Kerrygold; 1/4 cup (40g) brown sugar; 1/2 cup (75g) currants; zest of an organic orange, which has been washed; 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg; 2 pinches of allspice; 1 egg white, beaten; sugar, for sprinkling on top of cakes

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Eccles cake, a traditional British pastry from a town named Eccles in England, are very easy to make using this classic recipe and store-bought, or pre-made puff pastry.

If you’ve ever tasted an Eccles cake, you’ll be happy to be reading this as I’ve included a recipe that’s so easy to make anytime you have a craving!

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After returning from the UK, I’ve been chomping at the bit to share this Eccles cake recipe.

I visited Rye again. This is a town I’ve been visiting since I was a little girl, because my Aunt Rosa lives there. It is one of the most beautiful towns I’ve ever seen, with its cobblestone streets, Tudor architecture and hilltop location overlooking the English Channel, and sometimes even sharing a peek at France.

You can read more about Rye and the The Mermaid Inn, but this post is all about Eccles Cakes. When I’m in Rye, I love to wander around the historic streets, popping into food shops, charity shops and gift shops. My friend Suzanne lives nearby and has a great list of the best things to do in Rye.

One of my favorite things is peeping at the treats in bakery windows–taking photos every step of the way!

I spied this Eccles cake, decided they were going onto my “to bake” list.

One of the recipes I used was Paul Hollywood’s. If you don’t know who Paul is by now, and you’re interested in British baking, I don’t know what to say! Haha! He’s been the “male judge” on the Great British Bake Off, and I happened to spend a few days with him in Scotland a few years ago when we were both on the interview stage at the BBC Good Food Show Scotland.

paul hollywood with Christina Conte

I have also made his treacle sponge pudding, and did a little photo shoot by the Hollywood sign for him!

Christina Conte with treacle pudding near the Hollywood sign

As you can see, his recipes are solid. I combined Paul’s Recipe and Delia Smith’s recipes to come up with mine! You may recognize Delia Smith’s name from my rhubarb crumble ice cream recipe. Ready to get baking?

Recipe for Eccles Cakes British pastry traditional

Eccles Cake Recipe

adapted from Paul Hollywood and Delia Smith’s recipes serves 10

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

puff pastry or flaky pastry

Filling

1 Tbsp (15g) good quality butter, like Kerrygold
1/4 cup (40g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (75g) currants
zest of an organic orange, which has been washed
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
2 pinches of allspice
1 egg white, beaten
sugar, for sprinkling on top of cakes

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

Make the Eccles Cake Filling

Place the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until just melted, then remove from heat and add the rest of the filling ingredients, stir to combine and set aside to cool.

Filling for Eccles Cakes

Assemble the cakes

Roll out the dough to a rectangle measuring about 6″ x 15″ (16cm x 40cm), cut lengthwise in half, then cut into 10 equal sized pieces.

Flaky Pastry cut for Recipe for Eccles Cakes British pastry traditional Place a spoonful of filling onto the center of each square, using all of it evenly between the 10 pieces, then wet the edges of one of the squares, using your finger.

starting eccles cakes Recipe British pastry traditional

Now, hold the pastry in one hand. Close the edges together to seal the filling inside, forming it into a round shape when finished.

Next, place the pastry on a lined baking sheet, with the pinched side down and press down slightly.

eccles cake on tray
Repeat with the remaining 9 Eccles Cakes. Next, make three slits on top with a very sharp knife or razor blade. Next, brush with the beaten egg white, and sprinkle with sugar.

finishing eccles cakes

Bake the Eccles Cakes

Pop into the preheated oven, on a lower shelf for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, place the tray in the middle of the oven for a further 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Finally, remove the cakes from the tray and place on a cooling rack.

eccles cakes on cooling rack

All that’s left to do is enjoy one or two of these lovely pastries, along with a cup of hot tea!

close up Recipe for Eccles Cakes British pastry traditional

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