Vinegar Cake

Vinegar Cake

There are many versions of this traditional cake, some very old and I have tried a few, with disappointing results. I was about to give up and THEN found this recipe! And it is just lovely. So moist with a lovely flavour and texture. Trust me, I never post a recipe until it is tried and tested and passes with flying colours. The recipe does not tell me what vinegar to use, so I plumped for malt. Our forebears would never have had many of the types we use today? 

You will need a 7 inch cake tin, well buttered and lined. Pre heat your fan oven to 150C

8 oz SR flour

5 oz caster sugar

3 oz butter

3 oz currants

3 oz raisins

1 oz very finely chopped mixed peel

1 tablespoon vinegar

9 tablespoons whole milk [I used buttermilk]

Place the flour and sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the dried fruits. Mix to a soft ish dropping consistency with the vinegar and milk.

Tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 1¼ -1½ hours. Mine cooked in 1 hr 20 mins. Cool in the tin for a short while then turn out onto a rack.

A winner.  At last a Tick for this old recipe, I am so pleased I did not give up. It keeps well and stay moist for several days too.

Note: I decided to add a little vanilla extract. Ingredients like dried fruit I almost never weigh, unless it is a special recipe. I have been baking too long to be bothered and reckon I can approx judge! I think I might have added a few more currants though.

I will try and keep up with any queries while I am away, but please forgive me if I miss anything.