• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Effortless Foodie
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Baking

    Easy Lardy Cake Recipe

    Published: Mar 3, 2022 · Modified: Jan 24, 2023 by Beth Sachs · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 7 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Lardy cake pin image.

    An easy lardy cake recipe (also known as lardy bread). A popular British bake traditionally eaten as a mid-afternoon snack by farm labourers with a cup of tea.

    Originating in the West Country, it's made with enriched dough, dried fruit, and cinnamon, which gives the bake a distinct spiced fruity taste, without being overly sweet!

    Lardy cake on a cake stand.
    Traditional Lardy Cake

    First of all, don't freak out that this bread-based bake is made with lard! You can't taste the lard (not that it really has a taste), and it actually helps to keep the lardy cake really moist, soft, and light!

    I've simplified the traditional lardy cake recipe to make the cake in pull-apart style lardy buns, much like cinnamon buns, making it perfect as an after-school snack or mid-afternoon pick-me-up!

    👩‍🍳 Love cake? Try my easy marzipan loaf cake too!

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
    • 🛒 Ingredient notes
    • 🔪 How to make lardy cake
    • 💭 Expert tips
    • 🍴 How to eat lardy cake
    • 📖 Variations
    • Storage:
    • ❓ Frequently asked questions
    • 😋 More cake recipes to try
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!

    Here's why this is the best lardy cake recipe!

    • Traditional recipe for yeasted fruit bread.
    • Delicately spiced and fruity.
    • Perfect with a cup of tea.
    • Freezer-friendly.

    🛒 Ingredient notes

    Ingredients for lardy cake.
    • Lard - the lard needs to be melted for the dough (I do this in the microwave). Extra lard will be needed to brush the cake before it is baked for that golden brown colour.
    • Strong White Bread Flour - use white bread flour. Wholemeal doesn't work so well in this recipe.
    • Yeast - one 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast.
    • Salt
    • Milk - whole milk is best for this recipe and it needs to be lukewarm.
    • Eggs - two large free-range eggs at room temperature.
    • Caster Sugar - half added to the dough and half sprinkled over the dried fruit.
    • Cinnamon - or use mixed spice.
    • Demerara Sugar - to sprinkle on top.
    • Icing Sugar - for dusting once baked (optional).

    🔪 How to make lardy cake

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    One: Place the flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer.

    Two: Whisk together the lukewarm milk and melted lard (which has cooled a little) in a jug, then beat in the eggs and half of the caster sugar. Pour into the flour and knead with a dough hook for eight minutes.

    Three: Place the soft dough in a clean bowl and cover it with clingfilm.

    Four: Put the bowl in a warm place and leave it to prove for two hours.

    Making the enriched bread in a standing mixer.
    Proving the dough in a warm place..

    Five: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a size of 40cm x 20cm.

    Six: Brush the top of the dough with melted lard then sprinkle over the dried fruit, cinnamon, and the remaining caster sugar.

    Seven: Roll the dough up tightly so you form a long sausage roll and cut it into 9 equal slices. Place the slices in a greased 23cm round cake tin (I use a springform tin).

    Eight: Cover the tin with clingfilm and prove for a further hour.

    Rolled out dough sprinkled with dried fruit and sugar.
    Lardy cake proving in cake tin.

    Nine: Preheat the oven to 200c (180 fan) and brush the top of the dough rolls with more melted lard and sprinkle with demerara sugar.

    Ten: Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Allow the cake to cool slightly before running a palette knife around the edge of the tin. Turn (or release if using a springform tin) the cake out and dust it with icing sugar.

    Baked lardy cake dusted with icing sugar.

    💭 Expert tips

    • If you don't have a standing mixer, the dough will need to be kneaded by hand for at least 12 minutes.
    • For a more buttery taste, use half lard and half butter.
    • Try and find a warm place in your house to prove the dough. An airing cupboard is always a good option.
    • If you are using a nonstick cake tin that has been well-greased there is no need to line the tin with parchment paper.

    🍴 How to eat lardy cake

    Enjoy lardy cake with a cup of tea, coffee, or a glass of milk.

    You could also serve lardy cake as a dessert with custard or whipped cream and berries.

    📖 Variations

    • Use a mixture of dried fruit in the cake. Raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, and dried apricots all work well. Chop large pieces of dried fruit into smaller pieces.
    • Grate orange zest over the dried fruit before rolling it up.
    • Use a breadmaker to make the enriched dough, rather than a standing mixer with a dough hook.
    • Instead of dusting with icing sugar, make a simple glaze for the cake with icing sugar and water.
    Lardy cake on a cake stand, with one piece on a cake plate.

    Storage:

    Store: Lardy cake will keep in an airtight cake tin for up to 2 days, but it is best eaten fresh on the day it is made.

    Freeze: Once cooled, wrap the lardy bread in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

    ❓ Frequently asked questions

    What is lardy cake made of?

    The main ingredients of lardy cake are lard, strong bread flour, sugar, spices, and dried fruit.

    Where does lardy cake come from?

    It originates from the West Country (Wiltshire) and historically was only made on special occasions as sugar and spices were considered luxuries. Later, it became the mainstay of afternoon tea for farm workers.

    What does lardy cake taste like?

    Lardy cake tastes a bit like a Chelsea bun or cinnamon bun.

    😋 More cake recipes to try

    • Golden Syrup Cake
    • Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
    • Madeira Loaf Cake
    • Lemon Curd Cake
    • Biscoff Mug Cake
    • Blackberry Loaf Cake
    • Blackcurrant Cake
    • Chocolate Biscuit Cake

    Try my easy fruit scones for another tea-time treat!

    Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!

    Recipe

    Lardy cake on a cake stand.
    Email
    Print Pin
    5 from 7 votes

    Easy Lardy Cake

    An easy lardy cake recipe (also known as lardy bread). A popular British bake traditionally eaten as a mid-afternoon snack by farm labourers with a cup of tea.
    Course Baking, Cake
    Cuisine British
    Keyword lardy cake, traditional lardy cake
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Proving Time 3 hours
    Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes
    Servings 9
    Calories 343kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Measuring Jug
    • Standing Mixer with dough hook attachment
    • 23cm Round Springform Tin or normal round cake tin

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 500 g Strong White Bread Flour
    • 7 g Fast Action Dried Yeast 1 standard sachet
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 200 ml Whole Milk lukewarm
    • 140 g Lard melted (plus a bit extra for brushing the dough)
    • 2 Eggs
    • 4 tablespoon Caster Sugar
    • 300 g Dried Fruit
    • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon Demerara Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Icing Sugar optional

    Instructions

    • Place the flour, yeast and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer.
      500 g Strong White Bread Flour, 7 g Fast Action Dried Yeast, ½ teaspoon Salt
    • Whisk together the lukewarm milk and melted lard (which has cooled a little) in a jug, then beat in the eggs and half (2 tbsp) of the caster sugar. Pour into the flour and knead with a dough hook attachment for eight minutes.
      200 ml Whole Milk, 140 g Lard, 2 Eggs, 4 tablespoon Caster Sugar
    • Place the soft dough in a clean bowl and cover with clingfilm.
    • Put the bowl in a warm place and leave to prove for two hours.
    • Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a size of 40cm x 20cm.
    • Brush the top of the dough with a little more melted lard (1 tbsp) then sprinkle over the dried fruit, cinnamon and remaining caster sugar.
      300 g Dried Fruit, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, 4 tablespoon Caster Sugar
    • Roll the dough up tightly so you form a long sausage roll and cut into 9 equal slices. Place the slices in a greased 23cm round cake tin (I use a springform tin).
    • Cover the tin with clingfilm and prove for a further hour.
    • Preheat the oven to 200c (180 fan) and brush the top of the dough rolls with more melted lard and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
      1 tablespoon Demerara Sugar
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Allow the cake to cool slightly before running a palette knife around the edge of the tin. Turn (or release if using a springform tin) the cake out and dust with icing sugar.
      1 teaspoon Icing Sugar

    Notes

    Expert Tips:
    • If you don't have a standing mixer, the dough will need to be kneaded by hand for at least 12 minutes.
    • For a more buttery taste, use half lard and half butter.
    • Try and find a warm place in your house to prove the dough. An airing cupboard is always a good option.
    • If you are using a nonstick cake tin that has been well greased there is no need to line the tin with parchment paper
     
    Variations:
    • Use a mixture of dried fruit in the cake. Raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, and dried apricots all work well. Chop large pieces of dried fruit into smaller pieces.
    • Grate orange zest over the dried fruit before rolling it up.
    • Use a breadmaker to make the enriched dough, rather than a standing mixer with dough hook.
    • Instead of dusting with icing sugar, make a simple glaze for the cake with icing sugar and water
     
    Storage:
    Store: Lardy cake will keep in an airtight cake tin for up to 2 days, but it is best eaten fresh on the day it is made.
    Freeze: Once cooled, wrap the lardy bread in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
     
    Nutrition:
    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Lardy Cake
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    343
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    3
    g
    5
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    39
    mg
    13
    %
    Sodium
     
    160
    mg
    7
    %
    Potassium
     
    359
    mg
    10
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    71
    g
    24
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    24
    g
    27
    %
    Protein
     
    10
    g
    20
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    874
    IU
    17
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    6
    mg
    7
    %
    Calcium
     
    130
    mg
    13
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram or Twitter

    More Easy Baking Recipes

    • Easy Chocolate Nutella Muffins Recipe
    • Easy Smarties Cookies Recipe
    • Easy Mint Aero Brownies Recipe
    • Easy Frangipane Mince Pies Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gina

      March 04, 2022 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      I love the orange zest variation and can't get enough of this cake! The soft pillowy centers are mouthwatering!

      Reply
    2. Claudia Lamascolo

      March 04, 2022 at 1:17 pm

      5 stars
      the texture looks so light and fluffy I bet this was gone in a minute I know it would be here when I make it!

      Reply
    3. Beth

      March 04, 2022 at 1:23 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE this recipe! Lard is a fat that has fallen out of favor over the past couple of decades, but nothing cooks like it.

      Reply
    4. Mindy Fewless

      March 04, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      What a comforting and beautiful treat!! I can't wait to try this!

      Reply
    5. Sharon Chen

      March 04, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      Awesome dessert, looks so yummy! I can't wait to try this!

      Reply
    6. Haydn Cornelius

      July 25, 2022 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      What lard did you use to bake the cake my mother airways used pork lard is that suitable for your recipe

      Reply
      • Beth Sachs

        July 25, 2022 at 7:52 pm

        Hi Haydn. Yes, that will work great.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Beth Sachs Food Blogger

    Hi, I’m Beth, a Mum of three (and one crazy dog), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

    More about me →

    My Web Stories

    Footer

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Effortless Foodie