posted by ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
owlfish at 01:56pm on 25/03/2008 under food, sf conventions, sweets, two sides of one ocean
owlfish at 01:56pm on 25/03/2008 under food, sf conventions, sweets, two sides of one oceanIn late February, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pennski proposed bringing a typical British cake to Eastercon to explore the hypothesis that British cakes, while dry, are redeemed by being consumed with tea. It seemed only fair that I bring a cake too, one representative of American cakes.
Thus it was that we, along withbookzombie, settled down with cups of tea (camomile in my case), improvised plates, and two cakes to investigate this pressing matter in the middle of Eastercon. Her madeira cake was dry, but flavored with lovely delicacy - and having it with a cup of hot tea made all the difference. The dryness really didn't bother me as much - but the tea was a necessity to compensate. They agreed that the apple cake I brought was much moister, suitable for consumption with drinks regardless of temperatures. It did not depend on a drink for completion.
Having proved we were both right about our respective cakes,pennski mentioned that friends of hers had been surprised that she was going to bring along a madeira cake. Surely semminel cake [sp?] simnel or seed cake would be more appropriate. Because there is never too much to know about cake, I turn to you: what do you consider the most typical British cake to eat with tea? Be specific.
(Also, relatedly, which is the best British cake to eat with tea?)
pennski proposed bringing a typical British cake to Eastercon to explore the hypothesis that British cakes, while dry, are redeemed by being consumed with tea. It seemed only fair that I bring a cake too, one representative of American cakes.Thus it was that we, along with
bookzombie, settled down with cups of tea (camomile in my case), improvised plates, and two cakes to investigate this pressing matter in the middle of Eastercon. Her madeira cake was dry, but flavored with lovely delicacy - and having it with a cup of hot tea made all the difference. The dryness really didn't bother me as much - but the tea was a necessity to compensate. They agreed that the apple cake I brought was much moister, suitable for consumption with drinks regardless of temperatures. It did not depend on a drink for completion.Having proved we were both right about our respective cakes,
pennski mentioned that friends of hers had been surprised that she was going to bring along a madeira cake. Surely (Also, relatedly, which is the best British cake to eat with tea?)
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In the UK, cakes should'nt be dry, exactly. But I can see why they might seem dry to someone used to US cakes. They tend to be heavier (even the lightest of Victoria sponges is heavier than, say, an angel food cake) and have a different kind of crumbliness. Sorry, my powers of description are now failing me. Must eat more cake...
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Has this been as much true of home-made as store-bought cakes in the US in your experience?
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I have a student right now who's writing a research paper on Victorian food, and seed cake was apparently THE standard cake for with tea back then, for family consumption that is (tea receptions having very different expectations).
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Seed cake can be drier than madeira, so would be good for testing the dry-cakes-plus-drink theory, but wouldn't be so good if you don't like caraway or were drinking something with a flavour that didn't go. It's not very common these days, and I've had to explain the concept to lots of people (some of whom have become converts).
Victoria sponge is perhaps the default cake but probably doesn't travel as well as madeira, especially if you've got a cream or buttercream version. My choice is generally raspberry jam, with sometimes buttercream as well if it's to be eaten promptly.
I think I'd have brought a madeira cake as well, with a victoria sponge (if not travelling far) or a light fruit cake* (if travelling further) as reserve choices, or perhaps a cherry cake if someone particularly liked glacé cherries.
*Possibly my mum's boiled fruit cake. (It's the fruit that is boiled, not the whole cake)
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Madeira cake is, IMO, the best cake to eat with tea (but a high-egg recipe will ensure a lovely moistness; there’s no excuse or reason for any cake to be dry!) Failing that, a vanilla-flavoured cake such as a Victoria Sponge would go down well. I don;t like any fruit-flavour cake (eg lemon) with a traditional cup of tea, as I find the flavour combination to be uncomplimentary. A fruity cake would work with a fruit tea though.
I personally favour a biscuit over any cake because, although one can dunk cake, it’s generally frowned upon*, and the whole point of having tea with a biscuit is to wet the biccie :-). Cakes with icing / frosting are less good with tea as the icing offsets any dryness (thus rendering the cuppa pointless), and also prevents the cake from being dunked by uncouth hussies. (A blob of dissolving icing is a very unpleasant thing to land in one’s cuppa, as the tea instantly becomes both overly sweet and greasy!)
*this does not of course stop me, uncouth hussy that I am!
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Does this mean you don't think of Victoria Sponge as being fruit-flavored, but vanilla by default?
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That's the only "proper" (ie, probably not british at all) british cake that I know of, as I assume the rest are definitely continental.
Cakes may well be dry, but the addition of jam and/or icing goes a long way to offsetting that, tea or no tea.
(the cake in my icon is a flour free lemon cake which, while lovely, is probably italian in origin)
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I would probably serve a fruit cake - lots of currants, sultanas and a bit of candied peel, and some mixed spice mixed into the cake mix. Either that or a Victoria Sponge, two layers with either butter icing or jam in the middle.
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