Eccles Cakes

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Eccles cakes are small round English pastries of flaky puff pastry wrapped around a sweet, spiced currant filling, with a slashed top glazed with sugar. Makes 8 cakes in about 1 hr 20 min.

Prep 30 min

Cook 20 min

Cooling 30 min

Total 1 hr 20 min

Servings 8

Ingredients

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servings

5 ½ oz (150 g)dried currants
3 tbsp (40 g)unsalted butter, melted
4 tbsp (50 g)dark brown sugar
¼ oz (2 g)mixed spice
1 ½ tsp (3 g)orange zest
2 ½ tbsp (20 g)chopped candied peel
1 ⅔ cups (375 g)all-butter puff pastry, chilled, store-bought
1 (33 g)egg white, lightly beaten
2 ½ tbsp (30 g)granulated sugar

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OrangesHow to pick, season & nutrition · 62 kcal per 131 g

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Instructions

Mix the currants, melted butter, brown sugar, spice, zest and peel. Let stand 15 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 8 rounds, 4 inches (10 cm) wide.
Place a heaping spoonful of filling in the center of each. Brush the edges with water, gather them over the filling and pinch closed.
Flip each seam-side down and gently flatten with the rolling pin into a disc about 3 inches (8 cm) wide, without letting currants burst through.
Cut three slashes in the top. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes until deep golden. Cool on a rack.

Tips

Chill the shaped cakes 15 minutes before baking for flakier layers.
Seal carefully so the filling does not leak.
Serve traditionally with a slice of crumbly cheese.
Good with strong tea.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make eccles cakes?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 8 cakes (8 servings).

How should I store eccles cakes?

Airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.

Can I make eccles cakes ahead?

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

Serve it with strong tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

403 Calories / serving

22.0g Fat

48.5g Carbs

4.6g Protein

23.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3224 cal · 176g fat · 388g carbs · 37g protein · 186g sugar

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