We all love seed cake – the aniseed flavour of the caraway seeds marries so well with the light sponge and subtle spices.
Our family recipe for Victorian Seed Cake always includes candied peel, which makes the cake moister.
For your interest, I have posted Mrs Beeton’s recipe as it orginally appeared, below, and in the Notes section in the Recipe Card below.
Seed cake was often served as a “Digestive” after a heavy meal or before retiring to bed in Victorian times, as caraway seeds are known for their soothing and digestive qualities.
Victorian recipes usually add brandy or Maderia in place of milk, as well as gorund mace and nutmeg.
Nanny’s recipe, as shared today, is non-boozy and has no spices added – but you can add them if you like.
The cake keeps well in an airtight cake tin for up to a week. Do let me know if you make it, Karen
Mrs Beeton’s Original Recipe
A VERY GOOD SEED-CAKE.
INGREDIENTS – 1 lb. of butter, 6 eggs, 3/4 lb. of sifted sugar, pounded mace and grated nutmeg to taste, 1 lb. of flour, 3/4 oz. of caraway seeds, 1 wineglassful of brandy.
Mode – Beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar, mace, nutmeg, and caraway seeds, and mix these ingredients well together.
Whisk the eggs, stir to them the brandy, and beat the cake again for 10 minutes.
Put it into a tin lined with buttered paper, and bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
This cake would be equally nice made with currants, and omitting the caraway seeds.
Time – 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Average cost, 2s. 6d. Seasonable at any time.
Today's recipe is one my grandmother used to make regularly, Victorian Seed Cake.
It was always on the tea time table, and was often served buttered, which made it even more delicious.
It's based on a traditional Madeira Cake recipe, but with candied peel and caraway seeds added.
Seed cakes were extremely popular during the Victorian era, and indeed Mrs Beeton shares a recipe called A Very Good Seed Cake, in her book of Household Management.
We all love seed cake - the aniseed flavour of the caraway seeds marries so well with the light sponge and subtle spices.
Our family recipe for Victorian Seed Cake always includes candied peel, which makes the cake moister.
The cake keeps well in an airtight cake tin for up to a week.
Ingredients
• 150g butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 115g self-raising flour
• 115g plain flour
• A little milk to mix
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 75g mixed candied peel
Instructions
1. Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4 and grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with butter and baking paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together with the vanilla extract until light and fluffy, and then gradually add the eggs and a spoonful of flour, beating well between each addition.
3. Add the remaining flour and a little milk to make a soft dropping consistency. Add the caraway seeds and mixed peel and mix well.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until golden brown and well risen. Check after 1hr.
5. Allow to cool on the tin for a few minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Serve in slices, with a pot of tea or coffee.
Notes
Mrs Beeton's Original Recipe:
A VERY GOOD SEED-CAKE.
INGREDIENTS - 1 lb. of butter, 6 eggs, 3/4 lb. of sifted sugar, pounded mace and grated nutmeg to taste, 1 lb. of flour, 3/4 oz. of caraway seeds, 1 wineglassful of brandy.
Mode - Beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar, mace, nutmeg, and caraway seeds, and mix these ingredients well together.
Whisk the eggs, stir to them the brandy, and beat the cake again for 10 minutes.
Put it into a tin lined with buttered paper, and bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
This cake would be equally nice made with currants, and omitting the caraway seeds.
Time - 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Average cost, 2s. 6d. Seasonable at any time.
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