Queen Cakes are a simple, straightforward bake. Essentially a fairy cake/wee bun with dried fruit. Traditionally, you would use currants, but if you’re not a fan of (like me!) then use raisins or sultanas. And yes, you can use chocolate chips. This gets a definite seal of approval from Little Miss Traybakes, although is significantly less traditional.

Now, I don’t have a lot of baking advice here. You need to make sure you butter is softened before you start to bake. And ideally have your eggs sitting at room temperature for a hour or so as well. This will minimize the risk of curdling, but if your mixture does look funky after beating in the eggs, just add a tablespoon or two of flour and that should sort it out.

Although I say that you can get 12 Queen Cakes out of this recipe. I usually end up getting around 9 buns. I attribute this to the giant US cupcake liners that I have. I’m sure that paper buns cases were a lot smaller than these when I was a child. So, bear this in mind when you’re baking. If you want the bun cases to be filled to the top after they have baked, then they need to be about three-quarters full before they go in the oven. And if, like me, you have larger cupcake or muffin cases, then you might only get 9 buns from this recipe, rather than the 12 it should make.

You may spot that there is no vanilla or flavoring of any kind in this recipe. This is a pretty old, traditional recipe, so it doesn’t include vanilla. Some recipes do have lemon zest or orange flower water in them, both of which I think would work well, but for this one, we’re keeping it simple.

Light, fluffy and sweet. And it was refreshing not to have any vanilla in these. I definitely didn’t miss it and they taste just like the wee buns of my childhood.

Queen Cakes

A simple, traditional, plain bun. Filled with dried fruit (currants or raisins).

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine british, Irish

Servings 12 buns

Ingredients

  

• 4 oz or 110g butter softened
• 4 oz or 110g caster sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 4 oz or 110g plain flour all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 oz or 55g dried fruit

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400F/200C (in a conventional oven) and place the paper bun cases in a bun tray.
• Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Then add the egg gradually and keep beating until incorporated.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon.
• Fold through the dried fruit.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases. Fill until about three-quarters full.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Video

Keyword cake, currants, raisins