By Diana

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 00:42

We live in Tasmania, Australia and we have been searching for a recipe for Grafton Cake, which we remember from our years in England. Does anyone also remember this cake? It seems to have disappeared from Cookery Books or maybe it is now called something else. If anyone knows of this cake, we would be very grateful for the recipe and thank you in advance.

Replies

By Impi

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 10:59

Hi, can you remember what it had in it, ie. fruit, etc, I have looked also and found nothing with that name. Maybe if we know what it consisted of we might be able to help a bit more. :}

By Diana

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 11:58

Hallo Impi
Thank you for your quick response to my request for a Grafton Cake Recipe. My Husband tells me that the cake he would love me to make does contain fruit but that's all he can remember. I gather it was a cake that he enjoyed from years ago. I have searched for many years for this recipe both in the UK and Australia but without success. I imagine that it was a local recipe from his days in Oxfordshire and has probably now disappeared from the radar.
You live in a beautiful part of England. My daughter lives in Wiltshire, my Sister in Suffolk, my Brother in Worcestershire and my Son lives in the USA along with his little Son. My daughter has three Children. I miss them all.
Thanks again for the contact. Your recipe listing is very impressive and I am particularly interested in the Gluten Free recipes and as a Gluten Intolerant indiviual, they interest me very much.
Happy weekend
Regards Diana

By Karenskitchen

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 13:03

I typed Grafton into Google. it just comes up with grafton cake plates. grafton is/was a china manufacturer. i wonder if there is any connection.

By Blondie Bombshell

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 13:23

was it dried fruit or fresh fruit - you must try and get as much info out of your husband as possible- raisins and currants? cherries?

By Blondie Bombshell

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 17:48

Being the geek that i am i have been searching for this all day and the only one i can find is for an old Kosher recipe - i have put it below - i dont know if its what your husband is talking about but it seems to be the only thing bearing that name - i hope its right!

Grafton Cake
Cream four tablespoons of butter with one and one-half cups of sugar, beat in separately two whole eggs, add one cup of milk alternately with two cups of flour in which has been sifted two teaspoons of baking-powder, beat all thoroughly. This recipe will make two layer-cakes which may be spread with any of the cake fillings or icings. To make small cakes omit one of the egg-whites, fill well-buttered gem pans a little more than half full, and bake in a moderately hot oven until a delicate brown. The white reserved may be beaten to a stiff froth and then gradually stir in four tablespoons of powdered sugar and the juice of half a lemon. When the cakes are cool, spread with the icing and decorate with raisins, nut meats, one on top of each or sprinkle with candied caraway seeds.

By Impi

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 18:34

Hi Diana, I have a friend who has just moved from Tasmania to Portugal! I would love to go the New Zealand and the islands, has to be my next 'to do before I am 60' I love Somerset and Dorset both lovely counties.
I have two girls both now grown up eldest works and lives in London, working for a publishing company as an assistant editor, youngest is doing a Masters in Amsterdam at the mo and will be back in September, she is the one who is careful about gluten so I try lots of different things with gluten free flours etc and then see what is best, still haven't made a decent loaf of bread tho' so if you have any good recipes for that I would be grateful.

Hope you have a great weekend, it has been lovely and sunny here and I have spent the day in the garden weeding and cleaning out the pond, what fun! :}

Looks like Blonde may have come up with something for you.

By Diana

Re: Grafton Cake
02 Jun 2007 23:59

Dear Impi
Thank you for your interesting reply. I should love to be in Portugal right now as we in Tasmania go into Winter which is cold down here. Although still beautiful. We live South of Hobart. This Grafton Cake recipe that I am seeking does contain Fruit but only dried fruit, i.e. sultanas, raisins and currants. It is really only a plain fruit cake, so I shall adapt recipes that I already have.
I haven't succeeded in making any gluten free breads, all that I have made have been like house bricks, so I have given up. However, pastry, cakes, pancakes, batters, all with gluten free flours or almond meal, have been delicious.
Thank you for your kind response. Continue to enjoy UK Summer and may the sun shine on you all.
Regards
Diana

By Diana

Re: Grafton Cake
03 Jun 2007 00:06

Dear Blonde
I am sorry that you have spent all day on the Internet searching for a Grafton Cake recipe. I hope you haven't missed out on a beautiful UK Summer's Day.
I shall try this recipe but it is doubtful that it is the same as the Grafton Cake that my Husband remembers. Particularly as its a Kosher recipe which I would have thought came from Poland or another eastern European Country. Grafton being in England. So this recipe I am searching for, is unlikely to be a Kosher concoction. Anyway, thank you so much for your trouble.
Kind regards Diana

By Diana

Re: Grafton Cake
03 Jun 2007 00:13

Dear Karen
Thank you for your response to my request for a Grafton Cake recipe. Your recipes look delicious and I shall try the Mackerel Pate one, which is a little like our recipe, except we use butter instead of cream cheese.
Regards Diana

By Impi

Re: Grafton Cake
03 Jun 2007 12:17

Hi Diana, I have added a new recipe to my profile which is a gluten free Almond and lemon cake, it is really lovely.

I now use gluten free flour to make sauces and to thicken gravy instead of ordinary flour I find it does a better job than plain flour.

I am getting quite good at adapting recipes so they are gluten free, like the lemon flan, I use gluten free biscuits as a base.

Hope the winter isn't too cold for you, we are hopefully going to have a nice summer this year in the UK. Altho' we will be spending our holiday in August in Portugal at our house there.

Take care :}

By Blondie Bombshell

Re: Grafton Cake
03 Jun 2007 13:35

why dont you take the basic recipe and add some dried fruit to it - just because its a kosher recipe doesnt mean it wont be right - there were many Jewish people living in the Uk several years ago and their recipes have been passed on to many non-jews- as it seems you have few alternatives you could give it a chance - sounds yummy even if its wrong - what do you have to loose?

By Diana

Re: Grafton Cake
04 Jun 2007 00:43

Hi Impi
Thank you again for your Grafton Cake comments. The gluten free recipe looks delicious and I shall certainly try it. Have a wonderful UK and Portuguese Summer.
Kind regards Diana

By Diana

Re: Grafton Cake
04 Jun 2007 00:47

Hi Blonde
Thank you for yur comments. I am from a Jewish background so have many Jewish Cookbooks. As you say, its worth a try and I shall certainly do that. I imagine that the Grafton Cake recipe would have began its life in Grafton. I'll keep this discussion in my favourites box and let you know how I go with recipe. Thanks again
Kind regards Diana