Suffolk Fourses Cake
A traditional Suffolk yeasted harvest cake, packed with juicy dried fruit and warming mixed spice. Perfect sliced thick and spread with salted butter.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 360 kcal
Equipment
- •20cm round cake tin
- •Greaseproof paper
- •Mixing bowl
- •Pastry brush
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- fat
- 9 g
- carbs
- 62 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 7 g
- calories
- 360 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper.
- 2
Warm the whole milk in a small pan until lukewarm to touch.
- 3
Sift the flour, mixed spice, nutmeg, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- 4
Rub the softened butter into the flour using your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- 5
Stir in the dried yeast, caster sugar, currants, sultanas, and mixed candied peel.
- 6
Pour in the beaten egg and warm milk, mixing to form a soft, pliable dough.
- 7
Press the dough evenly into the prepared cake tin using the back of a spoon.
- 8
Cover the tin loosely with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until puffy.
- 9
Preheat your fan oven to 160°C (180°C conventional).
- 10
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and firm to the touch.
- 11
Brush the warm cake top lightly with a little milk and sprinkle with extra caster sugar.
- 12
Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chef's tips
Ensure the milk is merely lukewarm before adding, as hot liquid will kill the yeast. For extra flavour, soak the dried fruits in warm black tea or apple juice for 30 minutes before mixing.
Ingredient substitutions
- unsalted butter → baking lard for a historic savoury undertone
- currants → extra sultanas or raisins
Storage
Store in an airtight cake tin at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Reheating
Warm thick slices under a gentle grill or in a toaster on a low setting for 1 minute before buttering.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using boiling milk which kills the yeast and prevents the dough from rising.
- •Baking at too high a temperature, which burns the dried fruit on the crust before the centre is cooked.
Serving suggestions
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