Monday 9 March 2015

Eccles Cakes

I was invited to a Pudding Club event at the weekend. No, it wasn't especially for ladies expecting a happy event, that's a completely different Pudding Club. It was to celebrate and preserve the traditional British Pudding!

Don't mistake the meaning of the word Pudding here. It doesn't mean that creamy chocolatey stuff you can buy in a package at the grocery store. Pudding is another word for Dessert in Britain. Or you could say Sweet or Afters. Preferably steamed and stodgy, laden with calories, and enveloped in lashings of yellow Bird's Custard.

The Pudding table was staggering under the mindboggling assortment of sugary treats. Lemon Drizzle Cake, Marmalade Pudding (YoungerSon's yummy offering), Bread and Butter Pudding, Sherry Trifle, Apple Pudding, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake, and of course, the world famous Spotted Dick.

There was actually a plate of fresh veggies and assorted dips, but most people tried to pretend it wasn't there, and concentrated on filling their plates with all the good things they aren't normally allowed to eat at home.

My contribution to the feast was Eccles Cakes.


Eccles Cakes have been enjoyed in Britain since shopkeeper James Birch sold them from his shop in the town of Eccles (now part of Greater Manchester) in 1793. And Eccles Cakes can be baked anywhere in the world and still be called Eccles cakes, they don't have Protected Geographical Status like Cornish Pasties or Champagne.... well, not yet.

I sampled every pudding available, one side of the table first. The second side of the table about 40 minutes later. In fact, I even had a second helping of the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake, a very tiny bit you understand. It's salad all week for me now!

8 comments:

  1. The worlds largest Eccles Cake was made in Eccles by Martin's Cakes, it weighed 56.2kg (123lb 14oz)
    Perhaps if you had a larger oven!!!!

    There have been several recordings of fires whilst heating Eccles Cakes in microwave ovens (the sugar catches fire apparently)
    This confirms the old saying "You can't have your cake and heat it"

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2329640/Rise-house-fires-caused-overheating-Eccles-cakes-microwave.html

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  2. The Pudding Club event looks very nice!
    Looks delicious your Eccles Cakes!

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  3. Yep, salad all week. :)) Glad you had a good time, though.

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  4. I'm trying to figure out what the texture might be. I'm guessing moister than a muffin, yet firmer than a cupcake...ah, I may never know! (OK, I once had spotted dick, but it was from a can and quite vile!)

    Trying not to smirk at the "happy event" reference!

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  5. I have never heard of Eccles Cakes, and had to go to your link. Are they only made in the spring, or served year round? I have never heard of a pudding club, but it sounds like loads of fun. Are many of the members of British descent?

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  6. I love hearing about different traditions. Never heard of a Pudding Club or the Eccles Cakes.
    What are the cakes filled with? They do look tasty. Of course sweets always look tasty to me...(:0)
    I think I would have had to test them all too.

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  7. Well, my favorite puddings are white and black, with a good fry-up, but I guess that's not what you meant...

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  8. Madretz sent me this comment "That'd be a fun club to be part of! I'd have to force myself to walk there and back though. From California. :) " but I rejected it by accident so here it is again from me this time. Sorry Mad, was pressing the wrong buttons.

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