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    Home » Baking » Cakes/Traybakes/Refrigerator bakes

    Old-Fashioned Granny Cakes

    Published: Sep 27, 2022 by Jacq · This post may contain affiliate links ·Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These old-fashioned Granny cakes are adapted from a vintage Country Kitchen recipe. Country Kitchen a British magazine was discontinued many years ago. Country Kitchen also published a few magazine-like books. The book that contains the Granny cakes is titled Puddings Down Memory Lane [2009] with the recipes collected by Clarissa Porter.

    These adapted Granny cakes are delicious little vegan teatime buns flavoured with vanilla and filled with mixed dried fruit. Granny cakes are just wonderful with a nice cup of tea or coffee, and are so easy to bake with everyday pantry ingredients.

    The only problem with these tasty Granny cakes is that it is difficult to just have one...its practically guaranteed everyone will want another.

    This recipe is a definite, tried and tested many times, keeper! So do save it!

    A small plate with a Granny cake and small cake knife to side, tray of more Granny cakes in background along with matching flower patterned teapot, cup and saucer and milk jug, green and brown crochet squares with gold crochet hook to side, white doily tablecloth.

    Doing a little research into Granny cakes I discovered that there are other types of Granny cake recipes. Although not so much like the current Granny cake recipe, as many of the other recipes contain pineapple and sometimes pecans, and I suspect this type of Granny cake has its roots in the US.

    However, these little Granny cakes are British in origin and were fondly nicknamed Granny cakes by an everyday home baker many years ago, so probably had a different original name. Maybe along the lines of... fruit tea buns or sweet tea cakes... as they would have been served with hot cups of the recipients favourite beverage.

    Granny cakes are the perfect buns to always have in the cake tub to treat your family and visitors to delicious home baking. These cakes are also perfect for charity cake sales and fundraisers, and for those times you need a bake that will please a crowd.

    British Granny cakes are the simplest bake, with just a little mixing required before scooping the thick cake batter into cupcake or fairy cake paper cases and baking for 20-25 minutes. A dusting of icing sugar is a humble but fitting decoration.

    The original recipe called for a traditional wooden spoon and a granny style mixing bowl to authentically prepare these Granny cakes but of course any mixing spoon or bowl will do just as well!

    An old-fashioned granny style mixing bowl [Amazon ad link]:

    An old-fashioned granny style wooden spoon [Amazon ad link]:

    A side view of a tray of Granny cakes, with green and brown coloured shades of wool crochet to side and a gold crochet hook. Teapot and cup and saucer in background, with white doily table cloth.
    I love these Granny squares that my daughter crocheted and sewed together into a wee blanket. She had a well earned break from crafting to enjoy a warm freshly baked Granny cake and a nice cup of tea.

    How to prepare old-fashioned Granny cakes

    Granny cakes are so simple to bake and can be enjoyed warm shortly after baking.

    Perfect for brunch, morning or Afternoon tea, cozy evening snacks or just whenever you fancy.

    margarine and sugar in the mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.
    apple sauce and vanilla added to the creamed margarine and sugar in the mixing bowl.

    Cream the margarine and sugar together with a mixing spoon.

    Add the apple sauce and vanilla essence.

    plant milk added to cake batter in mixing bowl.
    dried fruit mix added to cake batter in mixing bowl.

    Pour in the plant milk and beat the mixture briskly to incorporate.

    Stir through the dried fruit mix.

    Granny cake batter divided between a red 12 cup muffin tray lined with paper cases.
    Granny cakes baked and in muffin tray.

    Divide the cake batter between 12 cupcake/fairy cake paper cases.

    Bake for 20-25 minutes.

    Granny cakes cooling on wire rack.
    Granny cakes dusted with powdered icing sugar and sitting on small plate with pile of cakes in background.

    Leave to cool completely on a wire rack or enjoy warm soon after removing from the oven.

    Dust with icing/powdered sugar before enjoying.

    Granny cake sliced open on small plate with yellow handled butter knife.
    Granny cakes hot from the oven!

    So good warm with a nice cup of tea.

    Recipe notes

    Storage

    Granny cakes can be stored within a cake tub, container or tin for 3-4 days. Although these little buns will probably be eaten by the 3rd day! And a second batch in the oven by the 4th!

    Or freeze the Granny cakes [minus the powdered sugar topping] for 2-3 months. Wrap up well before freezing and store in a freezer proof container.

    To refresh Granny cakes, pop them into a warm oven for a few minutes until warmed through.

    What is dried fruit mix?


    Dried fruit mix or mixed dried fruit is a popular British baking ingredient and can be purchased as a mixture of dried fruits most commonly currants, sultanas, raisins and diced dried fruit peel.

    Packages of dried fruit mix are usually used for fruit cakes, fruit loafs, fruit buns, steamed fruit puddings, Christmas cakes, to prepare homemade mincemeat for festive mince pies, etc.

    Dried fruit mix is similar to trail mix but does not contain nuts, granola, chocolate drops or little sweets. Dried fruit mixes in other countries may also contain more exotic dried fruits such as peaches, mango, cherries, pineapple or papaya.

    Can I substitute the dried fruit mix?


    Dried fruit mix can be subbed for a mixture of individual dried fruits such as equal amounts of raisins, sultanas [golden raisins] and currants. A little amount of these dried fruits can also be removed and equal amounts of dried fruit peel added, if liked.

    Alternatively, just use all raisins or currants or similar. Dried cranberries would be a tasty addition especially for the Holiday season.

    More tasty tempting traditional bakes:

    Old-fashioned golden syrup loaf

    Vintage Scottish treacle scones

    Old-school dinners jam and coconut sponge traybake

    Old-school dinners chocolate sponge traybake

    Old-fashioned Swiss cakes

    A rectangular tea tray filled with Granny cakes and a pink flower tea cup and saucer filled with tea. Granny square crochet blanket background.
    Planning a vegan tea party? Kids big and little and of any age, will especially enjoy the pomp and splendour of a cute teapot with tea cups and saucers. Add a tray of Granny cakes for British nostalgia at its finest!
    A small plate with a Granny cake and small cake knife to side, tray of more Granny cakes in background along with matching flower patterned teapot, cup and saucer and milk jug, green and brown crochet squares with gold crochet hook to side, white doily tablecloth.

    Old-Fashioned Granny Cakes

    Print Recipe
    These irresistible delicious Granny cakes are the perfect teatime treat.
    A batch can be quickly baked and enjoyed warm from the oven.
    The only problem is that it may be impossible to just eat only one!
    Course Afternoon tea, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine British
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Servings 12 little cakes/buns
    Calories 153
    Author Jacq

    Equipment

    • 12 cup muffin/cupcake tray
    • paper cupcake/fairy cake baking cases
    • Mixing bowl
    • mixing spoon or similar. for mixing cake batter
    • sieve

    Ingredients

    • 175 grams self-raising flour [or plain/all-purpose flour with 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder plus a pinch of salt]
    • 100 grams vegan margarine
    • 100 grams granulated sugar [or caster sugar]
    • ¾ teaspoon vanilla essence
    • 70 grams mixed dried fruit [or a mix of raisins, sultanas, currants, or just use one dried fruit]
    • 70 grams apple sauce [either home-made or shop bought]
    • 3 tablespoon oat milk [or your usual milk]

    Decorate:

    • 1 tablespoon icing sugar [powdered sugar]
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 160 Fan / 180C / 356 Fahrenheit / Gas 4.
    • Pop a paper baking case into each cup in the muffin baking tray.
    • Add the margarine and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat for a few minutes with a wooden spoon or similar mixing spoon.
      100 grams vegan margarine, 100 grams granulated sugar
    • Next add the apple sauce, vanilla and oat milk.
      Stir well to incorporate the ingredients. Don't worry if the mix looks split or curdled, this is fine, just beat and mix well.
      ¾ teaspoon vanilla essence, 70 grams apple sauce, 3 tablespoon oat milk
    • Sieve the flour [if using all-purpose/plain flour also add 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and pinch of salt] into the mixture.
      Stir the flour into the mixture until combined.
      175 grams self-raising flour
    • Lastly stir through the dried fruit.
      70 grams mixed dried fruit
    • Divide the cake batter between the 12 cupcake cases.
      Level the tops out a little, but not too much, just until they look a bit more even on the surface.
    • Bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes or until cakes are risen, golden and a skewer popped in comes out clean.
      [If using a fan oven check after 20 minutes as fan ovens tend to bake faster.]
    • Cool in the baking pan for about 5-10 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack.
    • Sieve icing/powdered sugar over to decorate.
      1 tablespoon icing sugar
    • These little teatime cakes can be enjoyed warm soon after they come out of the oven or at room temperature. The icing sugar can still be added even though the cakes are warm.

    Notes

    • Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
    • Store Granny cakes for 3-4 days. Although these tasty cakes are almost guaranteed to be gone well before the third day!
    • Granny cakes can be frozen for 2-3 months. Wrap well with food wrap and place into a freezer-safe food container.
    • Refresh Granny cakes by popping into a warm oven for a few minutes just to warm through. A little extra powdering of icing sugar can be added after warming, if liked.
    • Instead of ready prepared dried fruit mix replace with roughly equal quantities of currants, raisins, and sultanas. Or just use one dried fruit such as raisins.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 0.5mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 327IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Prepared these tasty vegan Granny cakes?

    We would love to know how you got on. All comments and feedback are very much appreciated.

    Snapped a photo of your delicious bake to share on social media?

    It would be amazing if you could tag us in using @traditionalplantbasedcooking or #traditionalplantbasedcooking

    So we can admire your good cooking.

    All the best. Jacq x

    More Vegan Cake, Traybake And Fridge Bake Recipes

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    • close up of a Swiss cake with more cakes behind, on wooden board with small spatula to side.
      Old-Fashioned Swiss Cakes

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