This Caraway Seed Cake was once very popular all over the British Isles, but it is very rarely made today. Caraway seeds, which had been used in cooking and baking since Elizabethan times, seemed to fall out of favour by the mid to late 20th century.

I started baking this cake for my father, who used to reminisce about the ‘Seedy Cake’ of his childhood. I was never able to reproduce these to his complete satisfaction but he always ate and enjoyed my attempts and Seed Cake became and has remained a family favourite.

Ingredients you will need to make an Old Fashioned Caraway Seed Cake

• 8 ounces / 225 grams / 1 cup butter
• 8 ounces / 225 grams / 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 10 ounces / 285 grams / 1 ¼ cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons caraway seeds

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 160°C / 140°C Fan / 325°F / Gas Mark 3.
2. Grease and line an 8 inch / 20 cm cake tin.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.
5. Sieve the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg together and fold into this mixture.
6. Stir in the caraway seeds.
7. Turn into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top.
8. Bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 1 ½ hours until well risen, golden brown and firm to touch.
9. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the lining paper.
10. Leave until completely cold.
11. Store in an air tight tin for up to 3 weeks.

Many recipes include dried fruit, candied fruit and ground almonds but my father liked the plain seed cake he remembered from his Irish childhood.

My recipe includes a small amount of cinnamon and nutmeg which I think combines well with the flavour of the caraway seeds and as I really like the caraway flavour, I add plenty of seeds. The spices and the quantity of seeds are a matter of personal taste.

Equipment you will need to make this Old Fashioned Caraway Seed Cake

As well as the usual basic kitchen equipment make sure you have an 8 inch / 20 cm cake tin.

Old Fashioned Caraway Seed Cake

Recipe by Scones Plus More

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Snacks, TeatimeDifficulty: Easy

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

12

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces / 225 grams / 1 cup butter

• 8 ounces / 225 grams / 1 cup sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 10 ounces / 285 grams / 1 ¼ cups plain flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3 tablespoons caraway seeds

Directions

• Pre-heat your oven to 160°C / 140°C Fan / 325°F / Gas Mark 3.
• Grease and line an 8 inch / 20 cm cake tin.
• Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg together and fold into this mixture.
• Stir in the caraway seeds.
• Turn into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 1 ½ hours until well risen, golden brown and firm to touch.
• Allow to cool for about 20 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the lining paper.
• Leave until completely cold.
• Store in an air tight tin for up to 3 weeks.

Serving suggestions for Old Fashioned Caraway Seed Cake

Old Fashioned Caraway Seed Cake is delicious with a cup of tea or coffee. My daughter and son-in-law have also started to have it with Barley Cup. It keeps well in an air tight container and is what I call a ‘cut and come again cake’, that you keep for unexpected visitors, or for the days that you need a lift to your spirits that only a slice of homemade cake with give you!

This cake is also ideal as part of an afternoon tea – see my How to Make an Afternoon Tea post from last week.

If you have never had a slice of seed cake do try this recipe, I guarantee you will enjoy this old fashioned favourite!

Until next time…

Happy baking!

Tanya