One weekend I awoke with a memory for the taste of a Sultana Cake that my Granny McKenzie used to make. A moist succulent creation that seems to improve day after day (if it lasts that long that is) stored in a tin. Now we Celts have a love of sweet things, cakes, biscuits, puddings, sweets (have you ever tried tablet?) as well as the unhealthy love of fried fatty food. Going on a visit to Gran’s was always something to look forward to as there, if memory serves me well, seemed to be freshly baked scones, pancakes, sponge of some delight and you were always encouraged to go back for seconds and thirds.
The beauty of preparing this sultana cake is that it is all mixed together in a single pot.
Ingredients:
170gms sultanas
1 Earl Grey Tea Bag
110g unsalted butter (cut up into small pieces)
170g sugar
170g self-raising flour
2 eggs (beaten)
A few drops of vanilla essence
Method: Cover the sultanas with water in a pot and pop in Earl Grey Tea Bag. Bring the water and sultanas to boil then simmer for 10 – 15 minutes and then strain off the water. Mix in the butter while the sultanas are still hot.
Mix in the sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla essence. Sift in the flour and mix well.
Grease an 8" / 20cm round baking tin and line the bottom with greased, greaseproof or parchment. Pour in the cake mixture and smooth the top.
Bake in a moderate oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2 until the centre is firm to the touch. Empty cake; from the baking tin sprinkle top with a little sugar allow cooling and storing in an airtight container.
Once this cake is tasted it is never to be forgotten! I was immediately transported back to childhood, and is so morish you will want to devour the whole thing in seconds. I often make sultana cake to take with me when visiting friends or on picnics as it is such an easily transportable cake.
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