Take a break for tea

Fruity Rock Cakes

Softer than the usual hard rock cakes, these take only minutes to whip up from start to finish.
Makes 12

225g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
115g soft margarine
50g caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp milk
115g luxury mixed dried fruits
3 tbsp Demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C and line a bun tin with paper cases. Sift the flour and cinnamon into a bowl, rub in the margarine with your fingertips, then mix in the sugar. Mix the egg with the milk and quickly blend into the mixture along with the dried fruit. Divide among the paper cases and sprinkle with the Demerara sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden brown. Cool on a rack before serving.

Seed Cake

An old-fashioned favourite with caraway seeds as the main flavouring.
Makes 1 x 1kg/2lb loaf

225g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
150g butter, softened, plus a little extra for greasing
125g golden caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp caraway seeds

Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter a 1kg / 2lb loaf tin, (preferably non-stick).

Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then whisk in the eggs a little at a time. Whisk in the milk and vanilla, then gently fold in the flour mixture and caraway seeds, mixing until all the ingredients are just combined.

Spoon into the loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Divide into slices and serve with butter. Mmmmm, delicious!

Will keep in an air-tight container for several days or can be frozen.