Bakers in UK Challenged to Produce 18th Century Cake Without Modern Appliances

Posted by Bath Chronicle, UK on October 21, 2009 at 08:12:28:

Contest to produce slimline version of a Georgian delight

Bakers in Bath were challenged to cook a traditional 18th-century cake from an old recipe without using any modern equipment.
Nearly 30 people entered the competition on Saturday which saw them bake a rich seed cake to a recipe by Elizabeth Raffald, a Georgian baker and author of the then popular cookbook The Experienced English Housekeeper .
Entrants then had to present their cakes in the kitchen at the No 1 the Royal Crescent museum.
The recipe was adapted by food historian and cook Jean Seymour, who also judged the contest along with the head chef at the Royal Crescent Hotel Gordon Jones and cookery writer and broadcaster Mary Berry.
Curator at the museum Victoria Barwell said adults and children took part in the event.
It was part of celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the Bath Preservation Trust, which runs the building.
"The idea behind it was to give the illusion they were back in Georgian times and get people to think a bit about what it would have been like then when we didn't have access to things like self-raising flour and the equipment that we have now."
She said the recipe had to be adapted as the original one would have included 4 lbs of flour, 4 lbs of butter and a total of 35 eggs.
The winners of the competition were Carol Powley and Trevor Banes, who won a champagne tea for two at the Royal Crescent Hotel, which sponsored the event.
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