Devon Dough Cake

I WAS taking a look at the recipes on the UKTV food site when I came across one for Devon Dough Cake.

It brought back memories of my childhood, sitting around a big farmhouse kitchen in my grandmother's house, eating warm dough cake with homemade butter.

It was submitted to the site by a member of the public who says: "This recipe was cooked every week by my Auntie Paula in her home in Newton Poppleford, near Sidmouth in Devon. She made it every week of her life and it was made by her mother too I believe.

"It seems to be a Devon recipe and it is not one I've ever come across since she died 30 years ago. It is basically a fruited bread, but has a unique taste and one enjoyed by the Woodley family for generations.

"As a girl I would be given half a slice of dough cake and two chocolate buttons from Auntie Paula when I got home from school. If I was really good, she would butter the bread, but that was considered a treat!"

My grandmother was from Devon so I suspect she used much the same recipe. I hadn't tasted it for years so made some to try. It was delicious and I was immediately transported back to my days of pigtails and ankle socks!

Here's the recipe:

Devon Dough Cake

Servings: makes 1lb loaf

Ingredients

225g strong plain flour

25g butter 1 tsp fast action yeast
1 egg
50ml milk
pinch grated nutmeg
15g chopped citrus peel
25g sugar
50g currants

Method

1. Sieve the flour with a pinch of salt and rub in the butter to make breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in the yeast.
3. Add 50ml water and the milk, together with the remaining ingredients.
4. Mix to a soft dough, a little softer than bread dough.
5. Knead well on a floured board for 5 mins, then place in a greased and warmed small 1 lb loaf tin.
6. Leave in a warm place, covered with oiled cling film until the dough rises to the top of the tin. Bake in a pre heated oven 375F/180c/160c fan, for 30 mins until golden and risen.
7. Cool and serve sliced.

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