Nigella Eccles Cake Recipe

This delicious Eccles Cake recipe from Nigella Lawson is a perfect treat for any occasion. With its soft, fruity filling and a light, fluffy cake texture, it’s both simple and comforting. You can easily adapt it by using your favorite dried fruits, making it a flexible and delightful dessert for all.

Ingredients Needed:

• 250g butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
• 250g soft light brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 250g self-raising flour
• 100g buttermilk
• 2 eating apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1cm pieces
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
• 85g currants
• 85g raisins
• 50g mixed peel
• 85g icing sugar, sifted
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• A few sugar cubes, roughly crushed

How To Make Eccles Cake Recipe?

1. Prepare the Tin and Oven: Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), or 140°C (285°F) for fan-assisted ovens, or gas mark 3. Grease and line a deep 20cm (8-inch) cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, combine the diced apples, cinnamon, mixed spice, ground cloves, lemon zest, melted butter, brown sugar, currants, raisins, and mixed peel. Set aside to allow the flavors to mingle.
3. Make the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add Dry Ingredients: Fold in the plain flour, self-raising flour, and buttermilk gently until well combined. Stir in the diced apples.
5. Assemble the Cake: Spoon half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing it into an even layer. Evenly scatter the apple and fruit filling over the batter, leaving a 2.5cm (1-inch) border around the edge. Spoon the remaining cake mixture over the filling, starting at the edges and gradually filling the center.
6. Bake the Cake: Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Make the Icing: In a small bowl, combine the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a smooth, runny icing.
8. Finish the Cake: Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the lemon icing over the top. Scatter the crushed sugar cubes and additional lemon zest over the icing for a sweet, crunchy finish.

Recipe Tips:

• Soften the Butter: Make sure the butter is soft before mixing. It will make the cake light and fluffy.
• Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the cake heavy.
• Use Fresh Ingredients: Check that your baking ingredients, especially flour and spices, are fresh for the best result.
• Cool the Cake in the Tin: Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes. This helps it stay together.
• Wait to Ice: Wait until the cake is fully cooled before adding the icing. This stops it from melting into the cake.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Let the cake cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Cool the cake, then wrap it tightly in plastic or foil and freeze it for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 275 kcal
• Total Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 23mg
• Sodium: 0.5g
• Potassium: 190mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 30g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 17g
• Protein: 3g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

• Nigella Amaretto Chocolate Cake​ Recipe
• Nigella Zucchini Cake ​Recipe
• Nigella Fig Cake ​Recipe