Tottenham Cake is a light, fluffy sponge covered in stunning pink icing. It's so easy to make and requires just a few simple ingredients.
Tottenham Cake is very similar to old-fashioned School Cake. School Cake is made with white icing and covered in hundreds and thousands, and Tottenham Cake has bright pink icing.
If you're looking for a new afternoon treat (or fancy some pink icing on your cake!), this recipe will have you covered!
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What is the history of Tottenham Cake?
Tottenham Cake is an old-fashioned English delicacy. It is a light, fluffy sponge tray-bake traditionally served with beautiful pink icing. Originally produced by a local baker, Quaker Henry Chalkley, it was sold for a penny a 'cube', with smaller portions selling for only a half penny.
The original cake was made with mulberry-flavoured icing. Since mulberries are uncommon, I've used raspberry-flavoured icing.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Beautifully coloured pink raspberry icing.
- Soft and fluffy sponge.
- Easy to make with pantry staples.
Ingredient Notes
Note: The full quantities are shown in the recipe card below.
Self-raising flour - sieved.
Caster sugar - is also known as superfine sugar.
Unsalted butter - softened at room temperature.
Vanilla extract - or vanilla essence.
Eggs - use large eggs if possible.
Raspberries - frozen or fresh.
Icing sugar - is also known as confectioners sugar.
Desiccated coconut - for sprinkling over the top.
Step by Step Directions
Note: This is a summary of the instructions. The full ingredients and instructions are shown in the recipe card below.
1. Line a baking tin with baking paper.
2. Make the cake batter.
3. Tip the cake batter into the tin and level the top with the back of a spoon.
4. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until lightly golden.
For the Raspberry Pink Icing
1. To make the raspberry icing, place the raspberries in a saucepan, add the water, and stir for about 10 minutes until they thicken. Tip the raspberry mixture over a sieve into the bowl with the icing sugar. Press down with the back of a spoon to release the raspberry juice.
2. Stir well - you will probably need to add a little water to thin out the icing.
3. Turn the sponge onto a baking rack and place some baking paper underneath to catch any icing dribbles.
4. Pour the icing over the sponge cake and sprinkle over the desiccated coconut.
Variations
You can use sprinkles instead of desiccated coconut and pink food colouring instead of raspberry icing.
FAQs & Expert Tips
You can enjoy Tottenham Cake on its own or with some piping hot custard (school dinner style!).
The pink icing originates from mulberries used in the icing, picked from the grounds of the Quakers Meeting House on Tottenham High Road.
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📖 Recipe
Tottenham Cake
Equipment
- Use a slice/brownie tin measuring approximately 27.5cm (11") x 17.5cm (7") x 3.5cm (1½").
Ingredients
- 175 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 175 g caster sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 175 g self-raising flour
For the Raspberry Icing
- 100 g raspberries, frozen or fresh
- 5 tablespoons water
- 200 g icing sugar, sieved
- 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut , for sprinkling over the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C / 350°F and line a shallow rectangular tin with baking paper/parchment paper. Use a tin measuring approximately 27.5cm x 17.5cm x 3.5cm.
- Mix the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. This takes approximately 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat in the eggs one at a time. The mixture may split but will come together later on.
- Sift in the flour, and fold into the batter until well combined (be careful not to over-mix). Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
For the Pink Raspberry Icing
- Add the raspberries to a small saucepan, add 5 tablespoons of water and heat over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly until the raspberries bubble and are a jam-like consistency.
- Push the raspberry mixture through a sieve with the back of a spoon into the bowl with the icing sugar. Mix well and add a little water to thin it out if it's too thick.
- Leave the cake on the wire rack and place it over a baking tray lined with baking paper to catch any dribbles. Drizzle the icing over the cake until it's completely covered, then scatter over the desiccated coconut. Leave to set, then cut into squares.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition: The nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with an online nutrition calculator.
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