Scottish Desserts: Dundee Cake Recipe at Home and Black Bun Dessert

Scottish desserts are unique because they have a rich cultural heritage, diverse ingredients, and historical traditions of Scotland. These sweets are rooted in the country’s agricultural bounty and the resourcefulness of people to make the best out of limited means in times of economic difficulty. Scotland also has harsh winters, so these desserts are also hearty, warm and comforting to help endure the weather. If you’re someone who is curious about world cuisine, then making Scottish desserts, with the most delicious dessert recipes, is an activity that will help you delve into the sweet traditions of this country.

Here are three iconic Scottish dessert recipes that you can make in your kitchen:

Dundee Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 225 gm flour
• 100 gm blanched almonds
• 100 gm ground almonds
• 180 gm room temperature unsalted butter
• 180 gm light brown sugar
• 500 gm mixed dried fruits like raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries
• Zest of an orange
• 3 tbsp marmalade
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 100 gm glacé cherry

For the glaze:

• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp caster sugar

Instructions:

• Blanch the almonds in hot water for about 5 minutes. Then drain and let them dry.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare a cake tin by greasing it with some butter or oil.
• Beat the room temperature butter, then add brown sugar and mix some more.
• Next, add the orange zest and marmalade. You can also use apricot jam.
• Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix well to combine.
• Sieve the flour and baking powder in a large bowl together.
• Then add the flour in batches and mix between every addition.
• Then add the ground almonds, milk, dried fruits, and the glacé cherries.
• Transfer the fruitcake batter to the prepared cake tin and smoothen the top with a spatula.
• Arrange the blanched almonds over the top and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
• After 45 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 160°C and cook for 60 minutes.
• Check for doneness after 50 minutes have passed. If it’s done, you can extract it from the oven before you reach the 1-hour cooking mark.
• Remove the cake from the oven, and dissolve sugar in warm milk.
• Brush the cake with this liquid and put it back in the oven for about 2 minutes.
• Allow the cake to cool down completely before enjoying it.

Black Bun

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 350 g flour
• 180 g cubed and cold butter
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 5 tbsp cold water
• 1 beaten egg for brushing the pastry top

For the filling:

• 200 g flour
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 100g light brown sugar
• 220g raisins
• 220g sultanas
• 220g currants
• 100 g chopped mixed peel
• 80g flaked almonds
• 4 tbsp whole milk
• 1 ½ tbsp brandy

Instructions:

• Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Then add the cubed butter and give this a pulse so you get a breadcrumb-like texture.
• Transfer this mixture into a large bowl, and slowly add the cold water.
• Mix well until you get a fully formed dough. Flatten it into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the filling, whisk together the flour, dry spices, and baking soda in a large bowl along with the sugar.
• Next add the raisins, currants, sultanas, and flaked almonds too.
• Finally add the milk and brandy so you achieve a sticky filling.
• Preheat the oven to 180 C.
• Roll out the chill dough on a lightly floured surface, then place it into a 9x5-inch bread tin. You should have enough overhang so that the pastry has a lid. Cut that, then roll it out into a lid large enough to close the pastry.
• Spoon the mixture till the top, then cover with the dough lid.
• Brush it with beaten egg, pierce the top with a fork. You can also cut a large cross on the top instead to allow the steam to escape.
• Bake in the oven for 2 hours. If the top begins to brown too quickly, then cover it with foil.
• Once done, let it cool down in the tin. Then let it cool on the wire rack.
• Slice evenly before serving.