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Regency Queen Cakes for Jane Austen's Afternoon Tea Party

Regency Queen Cakes for Jane Austen's Afternoon Tea Party Recipe

A wonderful and very well known Regency recipe for individual cakes studded with fruit and flavoured with rosewater and almonds; I am sure Jane Austen would have served these for afternoon tea on dainty plates with her bone china cups and saucers! I remember making these with my Mum when I was little, and of course licking the wooden spoon and scraping out the mixing bowl! They are easy to make and are delicious with an afternoon cuppa or for a lunch box treat. I have not found out the true meaning behind their name yet - but maybe they were aptly named as they were "fit for a Queen" to eat! The use of rosewater and almonds is a lingering memory left over from our Medieval cooking days and was still very much in evidence throughout the Regency period. This recipe makes about 24 to 30 Queen cakes - depending on the size of your tins, but the quantities can be cut back with ease. However, they DO freeze very well, so maybe making a full batch is a good idea - as long as they make it to the freezer!
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Keyword: < 60 Mins, Brunch, Dessert, European, Fruit, Kid-Friendly, Scottish, Sweet, Toddler-Friendly, Welsh
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 24 Queen Cakes
Calories: 734kcal

Ingredients

  • 450 g self raising flour
  • 450 g sugar
  • 450 g butter
  • 225 g currants
  • 110 g almonds, ground
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 -2 tablespoon rose water
  • 1/4 teaspoon mace
  • paper, cases

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 190C/374F/gas mark 5.
  • Sift the flour and mace together.
  • Beat the eggs.
  • Melt the butter and allow to cool slightly.
  • Beat the eggs, rose water and melted butter together.
  • Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.
  • Add the liquid mixture and mix thoroughly.
  • Add the currants, sugar and the ground almonds and mix well.
  • Put a heaped spoon of the cake mixture in to the paper cases, or a well buttered patty or muffin tin.
  • Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until well risen, firm and golden brown.
  • You can ice them if you wish, using a thin mixture applied with a brush, more like a glaze.
  • Serve with elegant china and some freshly drawn English tea in the drawing room or the parlour!

Your Own Notes

Nutrition

Serving: 175g | Calories: 734kcal | Carbohydrates: 89.6g | Protein: 11.3g | Fat: 38.5g | Saturated Fat: 20.4g | Cholesterol: 173.1mg | Sodium: 339.8mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 50.8g