Mixed spice is a spice blend made using warm and sweet spices and is used in many British bakes including cakes, biscuits and pastries.
It is perfect for using in recipes such as oat and raisin biscuits, fruit bread, rock cakes, hot cross buns, Christmas cake, mince pies and homemade mincemeat.
The good thing about mixing your own spice blend is that you can easily adjust the balance of spices to suit your own taste or adapt to make use of what spices you have in your cupboard. In this recipe I have used a combination of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and coriander but you could also add mace, caraway or star anise.
If you have ground spices they are ready to blend but if you have whole spices you will need to grind them first, either using a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder.
The quantities in this mixed spice recipe will make 10 teaspoons of spice mix.
Ingredients
- Ground cinnamon - warm, sweet and fragrant. Use 3 teaspoons.
- Ground allspice - a warm aromatic spice. Use 3 teaspoons.
- Ground cloves - cloves will add warmth to your spice blend. Use 1 teaspoon.
- Ground nutmeg - a pungent spice. Use 1 teaspoon.
- Ground ginger - a sweet and aromatic spice. Use 1 teaspoon.
- Ground coriander - this will add a citrussy flavour. Use 1 teaspoon.
Optional ingredients - you could also add a small amount of mace, caraway or star anise.
How to prepare
Measure the ground spices into a bowl and mix.
Transfer to a clean jar with a tight fitting lid.
How to use mixed spice
- This spice blend pairs well with many fruits including apples, pears, rhubarb, peaches and gooseberries and can be added to fruit pies or strudel.
- Use it for popular British recipes such as rock cakes, Eccles cakes, baked apples or fruit crumble.
- It adds warmth and flavour to fruit cakes such as Christmas cake.
- Use to add warmth and sweetness and to fruit breads such as no knead fruit bread or hot cross buns.
- Add to the other ingredients when making mincemeat.
How to store
Store in a clean jar with an airtight lid in a dry place away from direct sunlight.
You can reuse an old glass jar so long as it is in good condition.
FAQs
Ground mixed spice is a mixture of ground sweet spices used in many British baking recipes. It pairs well with fruits such as apples, pears, gooseberries and rhubarb. It is also widely used in recipes for cakes, bread and biscuits. It can be used in place of or in addition to other spices such as cinnamon, ginger and allspice.
Pumpkin spice is the closest equivalent to British mixed spice and can be used as a substitution.
No, mixed spice is a blend of spices whereas allspice is a single spice from the dried unripe berry of pimenta dioica.
Recipes to use mixed spice
- Fruit bread (Dutch oven bread)14 Hours 55 Minutes
- Rock cakes40 Minutes
- Traditional English Christmas cake17 Hours 10 Minutes
- Hot cross buns (with easy bake yeast)2 Hours 45 Minutes
Homemade mixed spice for baking
Ingredients
- 3 tsps ground cinnamon
- 3 tsps ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
- Measure the spices into a bowl and mix.
- Transfer to a clean jar with a tight fitting lid.
Notes
- Mixed spice pairs well with many fruits including apples, pears, rhubarb, peaches and gooseberries and can be added to fruit pies or strudel.
- Use your homemade mixed spice for popular British recipes such as rock cakes, Eccles cakes, baked apples or fruit crumble.
- Mixed adds warmth and flavour to fruit cakes such as Christmas cake.
- Use to add warmth and sweetness and to fruit breads such as no knead fruit bread or hot cross buns.
- Use mixed spice when making your mincemeat.
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