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Chester cake

Pieces of Chester cake arranged on a pale blue and white platter with hydrangea flowers strewn around them. For Chester cake recipe.

This pastry encased fruit cake was apparently invented by Mr Thomas, a confectioner in Chester, who decorated a large fruit cake with pastry decorations for the birthday of George IV in 1821.  His creation became popular and spread to other areas including Ireland.  While the cake is now difficult to find in Cheshire, it remains popular in Dublin as Gur cake.

Equipment

  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring jug
  • 21cm square spring form cake tin
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • 2 Large mixing bowls
  • Cup
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Cling film
  • Rolling pin
  • Blender
  • Food processor
  • Small saucepan

Preparation method

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. 
  • Grease the baking tin with lard.  
  • To make the pastry for the base, sift the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add the butter and rub it in until you have a fine breadcrumb consistency.  Alternatively, you can sift the flour into the bowl of the food processor, add the butter and process to the right consistency.
  • Place the egg yolk in a cup, add the ice-cold water and whisk together thoroughly.
  • Add the egg and water mixture to the pastry mixture and use your hands to bind it into a dough.  Or add the egg and water mixture to the food processor and process until you have a ball of dough.
  • Repeat this method with the pastry topping ingredients.
  • Wrap the two doughs separately with clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.  
  • Place the breadcrumbs in the medium mixing bowl and pour over the cold tea. Leave to soak while you prepare the other ingredients. 
  • Sift the flour and baking powder into the food processor, add the butter and process to a fine breadcrumb consistency. 
  • Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon zest.  
  • Place the syrup in the small saucepan and heat gently until runny.  
  • Add to the filling mixture and stir in thoroughly. 
  • Add the soaked breadcrumbs and beat into the other ingredients thoroughly.
  • Add the beaten eggs and beat in thoroughly.  Set aside while you roll out the pastry.
  • Remove the pastry from the fridge and place on a lightly floured work surface. 
  • Form the larger piece of dough into a cube and roll out to 2mm thick.  Place the cake tin over the centre of the rolled out pastry and cut round it.  Use a large spatula to lift the pastry up and carefully place in the base of the cake tin.  
  • Gather the offcuts together and roll into a ball and then form into a cube.  Roll out to 2mm thick.  Cut strips as wide as the sides of the cake tin.  
  • Place the strips along the sides of the cake tin overlapping the pieces and then pressing down with your fingers to stick them together.  
  • Use your fingers to press down on the bottom of the sides of pastry to seal them to the base.
  • Spoon the filling mixture into the pastry shell and smooth it out evenly. 
  • Form the smaller piece of dough into a cube and roll out to 2mm thick.  Place the cake tin over the centre of the rolled out pastry and cut round it leaving 5mm extra on all sides .  Use a large spatula to lift the pastry up and carefully place in the top of the cake tin. 
  • Press the extra 5mm edges of the pastry into the top of the sides of the pastry until sealed.  Trim the top edges of the pastry.
  • Prick the top of the pastry with a fork in an even pattern.
  • Place in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked through.  If the pastry is browning too much before the time is up place a piece of kitchen foil over the top.
  • Remove from the oven, scatter the top with caster sugar and allow to cool completely.   
  • To remove from the tin place a large platter or board over the top of the tin and invert.  Place a serving dish over the top of the inverted ‘cake’ and invert again.  Remove the top platter or board.
  • Cut into oblong pieces and serve.  The ‘cake’ will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for several days.

Tip: To make breadcrumbs, the best way is to place chunks of bread into a blender and whizz.  You may need to turn the blender off occasionally and push the bread pieces down with a wooden spoon.
Pastry making: For tips and step-by-step instructions, see my guide on making shortcrust pastry.
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Victorian

Serves:
16
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry base

  • 300 g plain flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 80 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 60 g lard, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium egg yolk
  • 3 tbsp ice cold water

For the shortcrust pastry topping

  • 200 g plain flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 50 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 40 g lard, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium egg yolk
  • 2 tbsp ice cold water

For the filling

  • 300 g white breadcrumbs from a stale loaf of bread
  • 250 ml cold tea
  • 240 g plain flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 50 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • 110 g dark muscovado sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • Grated zest of an unwaxed lemon
  • 200 g golden syrup
  • 210 g raisins
  • 2 medium eggs, beaten
  • Caster sugar for dusting

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Chester cake
Serving Size
 
120 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
453
Percent of Daily Value*
Fat
 
17
g
26
%
Saturated Fat
 
8.2
g
51
%
Cholesterol
 
60
mg
20
%
Sodium
 
278
mg
12
%
Potassium
 
366
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
 
70
g
23
%
Fiber
 
1.4
g
6
%
Sugar
 
25
g
28
%
Protein
 
6.8
g
14
%
Calcium
 
64
mg
6
%
Iron
 
1.3
mg
7
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Keywords

Baking, Cake, Dried fruit, Victorian

© Dr Caroline Gordon 
2026
Illustrations by Chichi Parish
Site by Anselm Eustace