Mothering Sunday
More from the Lincoln Cathedral Cookery Book. For Mothering Sunday.
The forty-day Lent fast used to be considered very severe soo the fourth Sunday in Lent, known as Mothering Sunday, was allowed as a "break". On this day parishioners from all the parishes in the diocese would journey to worship in the Mother Church, the Cathedral, and apprentices and resident servants were allowed to visit their families. They would take gifts with them, usually Simnel cakes or bunches of flowers.
8 oz (225g flour)
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
12 oz (350g) currants
4 oz (100g sultanas
3 oz (75g) mixed peel, optional (so left this out)
6 oz (175g) butter
6 oz (175g) caster sugar
3 eggs
Milk to mix
Almond paste:
12 oz (350g) caster sugar
8 oz (225g) ground almonds
1 egg
lemon juice
Set oven at 325F/170C/Gas mark 3. Make paste by mixing ingredients to a pliable paste.
To make the cake, cream butter and sugar, add eggs, then flour and fruit. Mix with milk to a dropping consistency. Put half the mixture into a greased and lined cake tin, smooth the top and cover with a round of half the almond paste. Put on remainder of cake mixture and bake for about 3 hours.
Cool. Cover top of cake with a round of almond paste and decorate with small balls of almond paste - 12 for Mothering Sunday, 11 for Easter.
Brush with beaten egg and brown under grill. If liked, a little glace icing can be poured onto the centre of the cake.
I think my oven was still too hot at 170C and if I ever made it again I would drop the temperature down or follow my instincts and take it out about three quarters of an hour earlier. It's a bit burnt around the edges. I didn't give it any further browning under the grill. Not a raging success and won't be adding this one to my favourites. I'm not really a fan of so many currants.
The forty-day Lent fast used to be considered very severe soo the fourth Sunday in Lent, known as Mothering Sunday, was allowed as a "break". On this day parishioners from all the parishes in the diocese would journey to worship in the Mother Church, the Cathedral, and apprentices and resident servants were allowed to visit their families. They would take gifts with them, usually Simnel cakes or bunches of flowers.
8 oz (225g flour)
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
12 oz (350g) currants
4 oz (100g sultanas
3 oz (75g) mixed peel, optional (so left this out)
6 oz (175g) butter
6 oz (175g) caster sugar
3 eggs
Milk to mix
Almond paste:
12 oz (350g) caster sugar
8 oz (225g) ground almonds
1 egg
lemon juice
Set oven at 325F/170C/Gas mark 3. Make paste by mixing ingredients to a pliable paste.
To make the cake, cream butter and sugar, add eggs, then flour and fruit. Mix with milk to a dropping consistency. Put half the mixture into a greased and lined cake tin, smooth the top and cover with a round of half the almond paste. Put on remainder of cake mixture and bake for about 3 hours.
Cool. Cover top of cake with a round of almond paste and decorate with small balls of almond paste - 12 for Mothering Sunday, 11 for Easter.
Brush with beaten egg and brown under grill. If liked, a little glace icing can be poured onto the centre of the cake.
I think my oven was still too hot at 170C and if I ever made it again I would drop the temperature down or follow my instincts and take it out about three quarters of an hour earlier. It's a bit burnt around the edges. I didn't give it any further browning under the grill. Not a raging success and won't be adding this one to my favourites. I'm not really a fan of so many currants.