Banbury Cakes

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Easy

Oval pastries of flaky puff pastry filled with spiced currants, orange peel and a drop of rum. A close cousin of the Eccles cake. Makes 8 cakes in about 55 minutes.

Prep 35 min

Cook 20 min

Total 55 min

Servings 8

Ingredients

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servings

1 lb (500 g)all-purpose puff pastry
6 ½ oz (180 g)currants
½ cup (60 g)candied orange peel, finely chopped
2 ½ tbsp (30 g)light brown sugar
¾ tsp (2 g)ground nutmeg
¼ oz (1 g)mixed spice
2 tbsp (30 g)melted butter
1 tbsp (15 ml)dark rum
1 (33 g)egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp (15 g)sugar

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Instructions

Mix the currants, peel, brown sugar, nutmeg, mixed spice, melted butter and rum in a bowl. Let stand 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Roll the pastry to 1/8 inch (3 mm) and cut eight 5.5-inch (14 cm) circles, re-rolling scraps.
Put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle. Brush the edges with egg white, gather them to the center, pinch firmly and tuck the seam under.
Turn seam side down and press gently into ovals. Cut three slashes in the top of each, brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake about 20 minutes, until deep golden and fully puffed. Cool on a rack.

Tips

Cut the top slashes only through the pastry, not into the filling.
Keep the pastry cold; chill the shaped cakes 15 minutes if the kitchen is warm.
Store-bought puff pastry is a fine shortcut.
Good with tea or strong cheese.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make banbury cakes?

Plan on 35 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 8 cakes (8 servings).

How should I store banbury cakes?

Keep airtight up to 3 days; re-crisp in a 325 F (165 C) oven.

Can I make banbury cakes ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

A spiced currant pastry named for Banbury in Oxfordshire, made there since at least the 17th century. Serve it with tea or strong cheese.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

496 Calories / serving

27.0g Fat

58.6g Carbs

5.8g Protein

24.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3968 cal · 216g fat · 469g carbs · 46g protein · 199g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.