Lardy Cakes -- tell me how you make them, how they're made

madebyyouandi

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I few weeks ago Lardy Cakes came on my radar and I started researching them online. The oldest recipes (I've found) are from the 1520's where it was highly spiced (cinnamon, cloves, etc) and eaten on special occasions. The newest ones have no spice and can be as high as 1:1:1 lard, sugar, flour.

I made two loaves/cakes yesterday and -- omg, they were so much better than the name implies, but I did make some modification.

Anyway, I'm curious if people here have had Lardy Cakes and if so, what version (the spiced or not spiced) and what's your impression. For others, does the lard in recipe make this a no go for you?

(Oh, a Lardy Cake is a dough made with strong flour that's layered with raisins, sugar, lard and baked. The lard is mixed with the flour before adding liquid to shorten the gluten and more lard 'n sugar is put in the tin before baking to create a sticky coating. You turn it upside down when it comes out of the oven, so sticky side up.)
 
Very British!
Can´t say I´ve ever made it, and judging by the ingredients, probably never would. It doesn´t look particularly exciting to me, lard or no lard.
IF I were to make it, I´d be doubling up the amount of spices in it.
The only recipe I´ve got says you make it with:
  • Dough from the baker
  • Lard
  • Granulated sugar
  • Mixed spice if liked
 
I dont think we can get lard here? If my nan was still Alive I could ask her. She made bread n dripping sandwiches???
Russ
 
I dont think we can get lard here? If my nan was still Alive I could ask her. She made bread n dripping sandwiches???
Russ
There's also dripping cake, just strain the drippings before adding to cake, so the recipes say. :)

And what's this about being in a cooking community and not making your own lard? Easy. Super easy to do. :wink:
 
I dont think we can get lard here? If my nan was still Alive I could ask her. She made bread n dripping sandwiches???
Russ

Lard is very big in Mexican cooking. It is called Manteca in Mexico. It is in every grocery store here.

CD
 
I few weeks ago Lardy Cakes came on my radar and I started researching them online. The oldest recipes (I've found) are from the 1520's where it was highly spiced (cinnamon, cloves, etc) and eaten on special occasions. The newest ones have no spice and can be as high as 1:1:1 lard, sugar, flour.

I made two loaves/cakes yesterday and -- omg, they were so much better than the name implies, but I did make some modification.

Anyway, I'm curious if people here have had Lardy Cakes and if so, what version (the spiced or not spiced) and what's your impression. For others, does the lard in recipe make this a no go for you?

(Oh, a Lardy Cake is a dough made with strong flour that's layered with raisins, sugar, lard and baked. The lard is mixed with the flour before adding liquid to shorten the gluten and more lard 'n sugar is put in the tin before baking to create a sticky coating. You turn it upside down when it comes out of the oven, so sticky side up.)

Lard is very used in Italy, called Strutto in Italian, mixed with flour and other ingredients gives such a great flavour and texture to some baking goods both sweet and savoury.
Piadina Romagnola (a sort of flat bread very similar to tortillas), Seadas (sweets from Sardinia) just to name a few. I make both using lard.
However by now many people replace lard with butter or EVOO.
 
I used to eat lardy cake as a kid. It was sold at the bakers shop very cheaply. It was very soft, full of currants and it was my Dad's favourite cake. I've occasionally looked at recipes for it (I have a few vintage recipe books) but honestly don't feel much of a need to make it. It wasn't my favourite thing really. I think it was a Southern counties thing in the UK.
 
It sounds unhealthy but delicious, I would try it but probably not make it myself.
Lard is a critical component in a staple of Jamaican fast food: The Patty. Like its British cousin the Pasty, in both cases lard is used in the dough to makes a delightful, flaky crust.
 
It sounds unhealthy but delicious, I would try it but probably not make it myself.
Lard is a critical component in a staple of Jamaican fast food: The Patty. Like its British cousin the Pasty, in both cases lard is used in the dough to makes a delightful, flaky crust.
You know, I had the impression it was unhealthy as well, but when you put recipes with lard next to similar ones with butter, the fat content is pretty similar. Plus lard has an overall better -- at least different in a positive way -- chemical make up than butter. Anyway, I took this bread/cake to work and everyone loved it. Sticky and sweet.
 
You know, I had the impression it was unhealthy as well, but when you put recipes with lard next to similar ones with butter, the fat content is pretty similar. Plus lard has an overall better -- at least different in a positive way -- chemical make up than butter. Anyway, I took this bread/cake to work and everyone loved it. Sticky and sweet.
You are right, there is a weird double-standard where some people (myself included) dismiss lard out of habit, but cannot explain why.
 
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