Eccles cake facts for kids
A freshly baked Eccles cake
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| Alternative names | Squashed Fly Cake, Fly Cake, Fly Pie |
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| Type | Cake |
| Place of origin | England |
| Region or state | Eccles, Greater Manchester |
| Main ingredients | Flaky pastry, butter, currants |
An Eccles cake is a small, round pastry. It's a bit like a mini pie or a turnover. Inside, it's filled with sweet currants. The pastry is made from flaky pastry with butter. Sometimes, it has demerara sugar sprinkled on top. Even though it's called a "cake," it's more like a pastry or a pie.
Contents
What is an Eccles Cake?
Eccles cakes are a popular treat from England. They are known for their flaky, buttery crust and their sweet, fruity filling. They are often enjoyed with a cup of tea or as a dessert.
Where Do Eccles Cakes Come From?
Eccles cakes get their name from the English town of Eccles, Greater Manchester. This town is in a historic area called Lancashire. Eccles cakes are a traditional food from Lancashire. People there often eat them with Lancashire cheese.
Who Invented the Eccles Cake?
No one knows for sure who first created the recipe for Eccles cakes. However, a person named James Birch was the first to sell them in stores. He started selling them from his shop in Eccles in 1793. His shop was on the corner of Vicarage Road and St Mary's Road, which is now called Church Street. Some people think that Elizabeth Raffald might have invented the recipe.
Can Eccles Cakes Be Made Anywhere?
Eccles cakes do not have special protection that says they can only be made in Eccles. This means they can be made anywhere in the world and still be called "Eccles cakes." This is different from some other foods that have a "Protected Geographical Status."
Other Similar Pastries
There are other pastries in England that are similar to Eccles cakes. They often have different shapes or fillings.
Chorley Cake
The Chorley cake comes from the town of Chorley. It looks a lot like an Eccles cake but is usually flatter. It's made with shortcrust pastry instead of flaky pastry. Also, Chorley cakes do not have sugar on top.
Blackburn Cake
The Blackburn cake is named after the town of Blackburn. This cake is special because it uses stewed apples inside. This is different from the currants found in an Eccles cake.
Sad Cake
In East Lancashire, you might find a cake called a "Sad Cake." These cakes are often very large, sometimes up to 12 inches (30 cm) across. You can find them in areas like Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Colne, Nelson, Padiham, and throughout the Rossendale area.
Banbury Cake
The Banbury cake is an oval-shaped pastry. It comes from Banbury, a town in Oxfordshire. Like the Eccles cake, it is also filled with currants.
See also
In Spanish: Pastel de Eccles para niños
