Rock cake

Arock cake, also called arock bun,is a small cake with a rough surface resembling arock.
They were promoted by the BritishMinistry of Foodduring theSecond World Warsince they require fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, an important savings in a time of strictrationing. Traditional recipes bulked them withoatmeal, which was more readily available than white flour.
Mrs Beeton'swidely known 1861recipe bookincludes two early recipes for rock cakes.One calls for flour, butter, 'moist sugar', lemon, milk, and baking powder. The other recipe more closely resemblesshortbread, as it uses flour, butter, and currants but no leavening agent.
A typical modern recipe for 12 cakes requires about 8 oz (225g) offlour, 1teaspoonofbaking powder, 4 oz (110 g) ofbutterormargarine, 2 oz (55 g) ofsugar, 4 oz (110 g) ofdried fruitsuch asraisins,candied orange peel, etc., 2 oz (55g) ofcurrants, 1 beatenegg, 1 to 3tablespoonsofmilkand a pinch ofnutmegandmixed spices. Usually, flour and butter are first mixed until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs; then the other ingredients are added to create a stiff dough, which is dropped from aspoonto a baking tray or roughly formed with two forks. The cakes (optionally sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon) are baked for about 15 minutes at 180°C(350°F; Regulo 4),retaining an uneven form and contour.
Variations include theJamaicanrock cake, which is similar, but usually includes gratedcoconut, and the traditional British rock cake, which contains oatmeal.
AuthorAgatha Christiementions rock cakes in her stories and novels, includingThree Blind MiceandThe Murder at the Vicarage. Detective Alan Grant is offered rock buns inJosephine Tey'snovelThe Daughter of Time.
They are also a common feature in the popularHarry Potterseries of books and films. For example,Hagridserves rock cakes toHarry PotterandRon Weasleyat tea inHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Unfortunately, his rock cakes are hard enough to crack their teeth and they politely decline them (and other examples of his cooking) in later stories.
Early inThe African Queen, Mr. Allnut (Humphrey Bogart) is offered a rock cake while at tea. Rock cakes are also referred to in an early scene in the 1939 movie,Goodbye Mr. Chips. They are mentioned as an alternative to doughnuts in the 1940 British filmNight Train to Munich.
In theBenny Hillsong "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)", Ernie is killed by a rock cake below the heart and apork pieto the face.
In the British soap operaEastEnders, rock cakes are stocked in the local cafe. Tamwar Masood frequently eats them as an alternative topastries.
In the British series'Allo 'Allo!, season 7, episode 10, rock cakes are used to feed the British Airmen that are trapped in the sewers under the village. René Artois (Gorden Kaye) and his wife also give rock cakes to the gypsies to get information from them.
In theP. G. WodehousenovelSam the Sudden, (1925), Willoughby Braddock warns Kay Derrick against eating rock cakes baked by Clara Lippet, the cook, as they are her worst effort. In Wodehouse's novelMoney in the Bank, (1942), character J G Miller tosses unwanted rock cakes into the office across the way; when he goes to that office to apologize, he encounters Anne Benedick and her uncle Lord Uffenham, beginning the plot.