Welsh Shearing Cake
Apr. 29th, 2018 08:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)

Welsh Shearing Cake (Cacen Gneifo)
Serves 8 to 10 slices Prep time 20 minutes Cook time 1 hour, 15 minutes Total time 1 hour, 35 minutes
Ingredients
225g self-rising flour
180g unsalted butter (softened)
150g caster sugar
3 free-range eggs (beaten with 2 tablespoons buttermilk or skimmed milk)
100g chopped candied peel
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
extra buttermilk or skimmed milk if needed
Directions
Step 1 Line and grease a round cake tin, 8"/20cm in diameter; pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.
Step 2 In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until it is light, fluffy and pale yellow in color - a wooden spoon is best if you need a workout, or for ease, use a hand-held mixer.
Step 3 Add the beaten eggs and milk along with the flour, spoon by spoon, using a metal spoon now, gently mixing it into the butter and sugar mixture until combined; continue until the egg mixture and flour has all be used.
Step 4 Add the mixed candied peel and the caraway seeds, and mix - if the mixture is too stiff, add a little buttermilk or skimmed milk to the cake batter, you want a soft batter.
Step 5 Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, level the surface and bake in the pre-heated oven for between 1 to 1 1/4 hrs., or until the cake is well risen, golden brown and is firm to the touch. (To double check, insert a skewer into the middle of the cake, it should come out clean of the cake is cooked)
Step 6 Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack; leave to cool completely. Serve the cake in wedges and store any uneaten cake in a covered tin for up to a week.