Old English Spice Cake with Currant Hard Sauce

Adapted an 18th century English spice cake recipe

Cake
680g (1½lb) Unbleached White Flour
450g (1lb) Sugar
225g (8oz) Unsalted Butter
175ml (6fl oz) Milk
60ml (2fl oz) Hot Water
4 Eggs, large
1 Lemon, zest only
1 Orange, zest only
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Caraway Seeds
½ tsp Saffron
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
½ tsp ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Cloves
½ tsp Mace
½ tsp Nutmeg

Currant Hard Sauce
170g (6oz) Caster Sugar
110g (4oz) Cream Cheese
110g (4oz) Unsalted Butter
50g (2oz) Sultanas
50g (2oz) Currants
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ tsp Saffron

Pre-heat oven to 180°C: 350°F: Gas 4
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, one at a time.
Stir in the vanilla, caraway seeds and powdered saffron to the mixture.
Sift together dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to mixture alternately with milk.
Add the zest.
Pour into greased, floured baking tray or individual fairy cake tin.
Bake for about 1¼ hours, checking after 1 hour.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes, before turning out on to a wire rack.

Currant Hard Sauce
Cream together butter and cheese.
Work in the powdered saffron beating until light and fluffy.
Mix in remaining ingredients and chill.
Serve at room temperature.

Serve the Spice Cake with portion of Currant Hard Sauce.

Baking Recipes

Old English Spice Cake with Currant Hard Sauce