History corner buttermilk currant cake

Ingredients

• 340 g (3/4 libras) plain flour
• 115 g (1/4 libra) unsalted butter
• 115 g (1/4 libra) caster sugar
• 170 g (6 oz) currants
• Pinch of spice
• ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 440ml (3 gills) buttermilk
• Optional (not in original recipe): 2 tablespoons Demerara to sprinkle on top of cake

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 170?C/Fan oven 150C/325F/Gas Mark 3. Line a 23cm round springform tin with baking paper.
• You could get away with a 20 cm tin but make sure that the baking paper comes up a good 2cm above the height of the tin.
• Sieve the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. If you prefer, you can do this in a food processor.
• Stir in the sugar, currants, spice and cream of tartar. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in a little of the buttermilk then add to the mix, stirring well.
• Stir in the remaining buttermilk. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• If using, sprinkle the Demerara over the top of the batter.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Stand the cake, in its tin, on a wire rack until the tin is cool enough to safely handle and remove.
• Leave the cake to cool completely on the wire rack.
• Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have made.

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe