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Cacen Gneifio (Shearing Cake)

Cacen Gneifio (Shearing Cake) is a traditional Welsh (Cymric) recipe for classic sponge-style cake with nutmeg, lemon zest and caraway seeds that was traditionally served to the men at shearing time. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Welsh version of: Shearing Cake (Cacen Gneifio).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

40 minutes

Total Time:

60 minutes

Serves:

6–8

Rating:

Tags : Baking Recipes Cake Recipes British Recipes Cymric/Welsh Recipes

Original Recipe

Cynhwysion:

450g blawd
2 ŵy
1 llwy de powdwr codi
300ml llefrith
240g menyn
pinsiad o nytmeg wedi ei ratio'n ffres
360g siwgwr
croen lemwn wedi ei ratio
3 llwy de o hadau carddwy
pinsiad o halen

Dull:

Hidlwch y blawd, powdwr codi a'r halen i fowlen cyn ychwanegu'r menyn a'i rwbio i fewn nes i'r gymysgfa debygu briwsion. Curwch yr ŵyau a'r llefrith mewn powlen arall cyn ychwanegu'r gymysgfa i'r blawd. Yna ychwanegwch y nytmeg, hadau carddwy a chroen y lemwn. Trosglwyddwch y cytew i dun cacen sydd wedi ei iro a'i orchuddio mewn papur pobi. Rhoddwch mewn popty wedi ei gyn-gynhesu i 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) a phobwch am tua hanner awr, nes fod pen y gacen yn euraidd a bod sgiwer wedi ei wthio o ganol y gacen yn dod allan yn lân. Gadewch i'r gacen oeri am ddeg munud yn y tun cyn ei drosglwyddo i resel gwifren i oeri'n gyfan.

English Translation

Shearing season used to be a very important period in Welsh agricultural life and shearing teams often used to appear from the southern hemispheres (typically from Patagonia and New Zealand). Of course, it was up to the farmer's wife to provide for these teams and this cake, or various version of it, were standard tea-time fare.

Ingredients:

450g flour
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
300ml milk
240g butter
pinch of freshly-grated nutmeg
360g caster sugar
freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
pinch of salt

Method:

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl along with the milk then add to the flour mixture and mix in. Finally add the nutmeg, caraway seeds and lemon zest and stir to combine.

Spoon the batter into a springform cake tin that's been well-buttered and lined with greaseproof paper. Place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake emerges cleanly.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin then tip out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.