flipCaraway Seed Cake
Caraway Seed Cake
Why this dish? Caraway-scented seed cake was THE teatime cake in Victorian England; it was offered to visitors received in the parlour. It appears in Charlotte's writings, as she was a daughter of a milieu where tea cake was a domestic courtesy.
A dense, moist butter cake, fragrant with caraway seeds that crackle under the tooth. Golden, aromatic, sliced to accompany tea.
When a visitor crossed our threshold, it was this cake that was brought out from the cupboard, for civility demanded it. I would beat the butter and sugar for a long time until they turned pale and frothy — that is the whole secret, the patience of the wrist — then I would mix in the eggs one by one, and those little caraway seeds that perfume the whole house as they bake. Cut into thin slices near the teapot, it made teatime almost solemn. A sober sweetness, to our measure, but offered with a good heart.
- •Butter — half a pound (base)
- •Sugar — half a pound (sweetness)
- •Eggs — four (binder)
- •Wheat flour — three-quarters of a pound (structure)
- •Caraway seeds — a heaped spoonful (signature fragrance)
Caraway Seed Cake
A dense, moist butter cake, fragrant with caraway seeds that crackle under the tooth. Golden, aromatic, sliced to accompany tea.
Why this dish? Caraway-scented seed cake was THE teatime cake in Victorian England; it was offered to visitors received in the parlour. It appears in Charlotte's writings, as she was a daughter of a milieu where tea cake was a domestic courtesy.
When a visitor crossed our threshold, it was this cake that was brought out from the cupboard, for civility demanded it. I would beat the butter and sugar for a long time until they turned pale and frothy — that is the whole secret, the patience of the wrist — then I would mix in the eggs one by one, and those little caraway seeds that perfume the whole house as they bake. Cut into thin slices near the teapot, it made teatime almost solemn. A sober sweetness, to our measure, but offered with a good heart.
Ingredients (period version)
- Butter — half a pound (base)
- Sugar — half a pound (sweetness)
- Eggs — four (binder)
- Wheat flour — three-quarters of a pound (structure)
- Caraway seeds — a heaped spoonful (signature fragrance)
Ingredients
- Softened butter — 175 g (base)
- Sugar — 175 g (sweetness)
- Eggs — 3 (binder)
- Flour — 225 g (structure)
- Baking powder — 1 tsp (leavening)
- Caraway seeds — 1½ tsp (signature fragrance)
- Milk — 2 tbsp (suppleness)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a loaf tin.
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy — this is the key step for lightness.
- Incorporate the eggs one by one, then the sifted flour with baking powder and caraway seeds.
- Loosen with a little milk to a soft batter, pour into the tin.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly before slicing.
How it was made : In the 19th century, butter and sugar were beaten by hand for many minutes, as reliable baking powder was scarce: the air incorporated and sometimes extra eggs made the cake rise. Caraway, very fashionable in the Victorian era, flavoured everyday breads and cakes.
The contemporary twist : A light lemon glaze and a few toasted caraway seeds on top to revive this somewhat forgotten classic.
Charlotte Brontë · Charactorium
