Beltane Cake

hagofnaedre:

On Bealltainn and cakes,

Fuckin’ cake! (via lynsted.com)

Traditional Recipe (April)

For those  who can remember as far back as the May 2007 Recipe File, you will recall I wrote about the celebration of Beltane which marked the return of summer.  We live in hope that Beltane, which falls on 30 April and 1 May, will indeed bring some longed for fair weather.

Accounts of the Beltane festivities mention a Beltane Cake. This spicy cake was prepared on the last day of April in readiness for the evening’s festivities.  The cake was broken up and distributed to the crowds.  The person who received a specific blackened portion, referred to as the Beltane Carline, was condemned to symbolic doom.  Made to leap three times through the fire, the unlucky person would then be considered a symbolic sacrifice and referred to as being dead for the rest of the evening.  Come to think of it, I’ve been to parties like that!

Ingredients:

12fl oz milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

3½oz oats

7oz white unbleached flour

4oz butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

14oz soft dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2 eggs

½ teaspoon ground cloves

Method:

  1. In a saucepan, heat the milk with the oats, butter and sea salt.  Cook until thickened then leave to stand until it reaches room temperature.
  2. Mix in the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
  3. Add the flour, baking soda and spices and mix well.
  4. Grease a 9 inch x 13 inch baking tray and pour in the mixture.
  5. Bake in the centre of the oven pre-heated to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4 for 30 mins.
  6. After cooling to room temperature the cake should be covered tightly until ready to serve. 
  7. When ready to serve the top of the cake can be dusted with icing sugar then cut into squares.

Bannocks (via rampantscotland.com)

Ingredients
4 oz (125g) medium oatmeal
2 teaspoons melted fat (bacon fat, if available)
2 pinches of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 tablespoons hot water
Additional oatmeal for kneading

Method
Mix the oatmeal, salt and bicarbonate and pour in the melted fat into the centre of the mixture. Stir well, using a porridge stick if you have one and add enough water to make into a stiff paste. Cover a surface in oatmeal and turn the mixture onto this. Work quickly as the paste is difficult to work if it cools. Divide into two and roll one half into a ball and knead with hands covered in oatmeal to stop it sticking. Roll out to around quarter inch thick. Put a plate which is slightly smaller than the size of your pan over the flattened mixture and cut round to leave a circular oatcake. Cut into quarters (also called farls) and place in a heated pan which has been lightly greased. Cook for about 3 minutes until the edges curl slightly, turn, and cook the other side. Get ready with another oatcake while the first is being cooked.

An alternative method of cooking is to bake them in an oven at Gas5/375F/190C for about 30 minutes or until brown at the edges. The quantities above will be enough for two bannocks about the size of a dessert plate. If you want more, do them in batches rather than making larger quantities of mixture. Store in a tin and reheat in a moderate oven when required.

The Beltane Fire’s (The Golden Bough)

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