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Lemon drizzle cake is a traditional cake and a staple of afternoon tea. Although not much is known about its origin, it is believed that the first lemon drizzle was made by a Jewish woman named Evelyn Rose in 1967. This simple sponge cake is usually made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, baking powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
The ingredients are mixed in a bowl, then placed into a baking tray and baked in an oven. The lemon juice is mixed with icing sugar, and once the cake is done, the icing is drizzled over it in order to give the cake a refreshing, bright, lemony, and slightly sharp flavor.
MOST ICONIC Lemon drizzle cake
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Victoria sponge is an English layer cake filled with fruit jam (and sometimes, whipped cream). It was invented by Queen Victoria's cooks in the 19th century, when it was one of the main stars at the Queen's tea parties, along with sandwiches and scones.
The jam used in Victoria sponge is usually raspberry or strawberry jam, although modern variations are sometimes filled with apricot and greengage jam. Whipped cream is a 20th-century addition to the filling, and some purists, such as the official Women's Institute, claim that a true Victoria sponge can only have a jam filling.
MOST ICONIC Victoria sponge
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Parkin or perkin is a sticky cake originating from Northern England, although it is mostly associated with Yorkshire. It consists of flour, oatmeal, black treacle, and either lard or butter. Many cooks like to spice it up with a hefty dose of ginger in order to elevate the flavors.
Parkin is characterized by its hard texture after baking, but if it is left in a sealed container, it becomes soft and moist. Parkin is always prepared for Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night)—celebrated on November 5—but it is also commonly enjoyed throughout winter.
MOST ICONIC Parkin
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Even though it remains unclear exactly how long this traditional English sponge cake has been around for, one of the earliest known recipes for Madeira cake was found in Elizabeth Acton's Modern Cookery for Private Families, published in 1845.
Back then, it was a custom to serve the cake with the famous Portuguese Madeira wine, hence the name. Today, the crumbly, lemon-flavored Madeira cake is a popular teatime dessert that is most often served dusted with icing sugar and topped with candied orange peel.
Battenberg cake is a light dessert consisting of alternating, colored squares of genoise sponge coated with an exterior of apricot jam and almond paste. It is believed that the cake was invented in order to celebrate the 1884 wedding of Prince Louis of Battenburg to Princess Victoria.
The four sections of genoise sponge are supposed to represent the four Battenburg princes – Louis and his brothers. The cake is often enjoyed as a part of afternoon tea.
MOST ICONIC Battenberg cake
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Hevva is a cake from Cornwall consisting of spelt flour, butter, sugar, milk, lard, and raisins or currants. The name hevva is linked to the landing of a shoal of fish, and then the huer would shout “hevva, hevva“, giving a cue to the fishermen's wives to go home and start baking.
Traditionally, the dough should be scored diagonally before baking, in order to resemble a fishing net. It is recommended to pair this unleavened cake with a cup of hot tea on the side.
MOST ICONIC Cornish hevva cake
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Queen Elizabeth cake is a moist, date-based cake with a distinctive caramelized coconut topping. It is known for its rich, sweet flavor and chewy texture and is often enjoyed during special occasions and celebrations. The cake's origins are linked to the 1950s.
It is said to have been created either for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 or the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The cake is especially popular in Canada.
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