Traditional English cakes and bakes

Updated 3 February 2026

Explore 15 traditional English cakes and bakes including Eccles cakes, Bakewell tart, lemon drizzle cake and more. Learn about the key ingredients used in British baking recipes, regional favourites and get easy, no fuss recipes to try at home.

A Bakewell tart on a serving plate next to a bowl of almonds.

English cakes and bakes include anything from fruit cake to pastries, biscuits to crumble pudding and are perfect for dessert or served along with a cup of tea. What makes these cakes and bakes quintessentially English is their tradition, the ingredients used and their regional connections.

Many of these bakes are reminiscent of my childhood in the north of England - toasted fruit bread with butter for tea, brandy snaps at the fairground, vanilla slices from our local bakery, hot cross buns every Easter and Christmas cake with cheese.

Ingredients used in British baking

Many British baking recipes are characterised by their ingredients. We British use lots of dried fruits, golden syrup and spices in our cakes, puddings, biscuits and desserts.

British shops typically stock a good variety of dried fruits including glacé cherries, raisins, currants, sultanas and dried mixed peel. You can also buy bags of mixed dried fruits which are perfect for bakes such as fruit cake, hot cross buns and for making mincemeat for mince pies. Dried fruits are versatile ingredients and have a good shelf life. Whether you are making Eccles cakes, rock cakes, mince pies, Christmas cake, hot cross buns or fruit loaf they are certainly going to be among your list of ingredients.

Golden syrup is another common ingredient used in English bakes. This sweet, sticky ingredient is a refined sugar which looks similar to honey. It is used to make flapjacks, brandy snaps, and syrups for sponge puddings. However, in my recipes for flapjacks and brandy snaps I have used honey in place of golden syrup to reduce the amount of refined sugar.

Ground spices are also used in many English recipes. Nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and ground mixed spice are often used to complement the flavours of dried or fresh fruits. Use spices for carrot cake, fruit crumble, hot cross buns, Eccles cakes, Christmas cake and more.

Regional English bakes

Several cakes and pastries are named after the town or area where they originate. Eccles cakes originate in the town of Eccles in Lancashire while Bakewell tart. takes its name from the Derbyshire town of Bakewell. There are also Chorley cakes, Chelsea buns, Yorks hire parkin, Bath buns, and more. They can be made the traditional way but many variations exist too.

Seasonal English bakes

And when it comes to summer and autumn the English like to make the most of seasonal fruits. Crumble pudding is a classic dessert and is often made using summer or autumn fruits such as apples, pears, rhubarb, gooseberries or plums. This versatile recipe can be made using either fresh, frozen or tinned fruits. And when Bramley apples are in season they are perfect for making baked apples. They can be prepared in just a few minutes and taste great too.

Around Easter you will see bakeries stocked with hot cross buns. These are soft, lightly spiced fruity bread rolls, easily recognisable by a cross on the top. While they are readily available in shops in the run up to Easter you can't beat homemade hot cross buns.

And there is no shortage of dried fruit used in Christmas bakes. In the run up to Christmas just about everyone will be eating mince pies. Use this easy mincemeat recipe to make a filling ready to make your own traditional mince pies, frangipane mince pies, crumble topped mince pies or mincemeat slices.

Christmas cake is also packed with dried fruits combined with spices, treacle, brown sugar and alcohol. Make it in the autumn and then feed with extra alcohol for a moist and boozy Christmas cake.

15 English baking recipes

Name	Occasion	Key ingredients	Region
Carrot cake	Anytime	Carrots, spices	Nationwide
Cherry Bakewell tart	Teatime, dessert	Almonds, cherries, pastry	Bakewell, Derbyshire
Iced Bakewell tarts	Teatime, dessert	Almonds, icing, pastry	Bakewell, Derbyshire
Eccles cakes	Teatime, snack	Dried fruit, pastry	Eccles, Lancashire
Vanilla slices	Teatime, dessert	Custard, pastry	Nationwide
Brandy snaps	Christmas	Golden syrup, spices	Yorkshire
Flapjacks	Snack	Golden syrup, oats	Nationwide
Rock cakes	Teatime, snack	Dried fruit, spices	Nationwide
Lemon drizzle cake	Teatime, dessert	Lemons	Nationwide
Fruit bread	Breakfast, teatime	Dried fruit, spices	Nationwide
Hot cross buns	Easter	Dried fruit, spices	Nationwide
Fruit crumble	Dessert	Fruit	Nationwide
Baked apples	Autumn/winter	Apples, dried fruit	Nationwide
Mince pies	Christmas	Mincemeat, pastry	Nationwide
Christmas cake	Christmas	Dried fruit, alcohol	Nationwide

I have chosen only a selection of popular English cakes and bakes to give you a taste, but there are many more including Victoria sponge, Battenberg cake, custard pie, scones, Swiss roll and crumpets to name just a few.

Take a look to see which you would like to try first. Then pop the kettle on and make a cup of tea to enjoy with a slice of one of these iconic English bakes.

Carrot cake

Carrot cake is a deliciously moist cake made using puréed carrots and is topped with mascarpone cream frosting. It is perfect for dessert, teatime or with a cup of tea or coffee. This traybake recipe is an easy way to bake a cake to feed a crowd.

Recipe for carrot cake

Cherry Bakewell tart

This frangipane tart takes its name from the Derbyshire town of Bakewell. It has a sweet pastry case filled with almond frangipane and is topped with fresh cherries and almonds. It is typically served cold as a dessert or a teatime treat.

Recipe for cherry Bakewell tart

Mini iced Bakewell tarts

These are miniature versions of the popular Bakewell tart. These individual pastries have a layer of red fruits covered with almond frangipane inside sweet pastry shells. They are finished with icing and are perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Recipe for mini iced Bakewell tarts

Eccles cakes

Eccles cakes have a lightly spiced dried fruit filling wrapped inside a flaky pastry case. They take their name from the Lancashire town of Eccles in the north of England and are affectionately known as "fly pies". They are great for snacking, lunch boxes and picnics.

Recipe for Eccles cakes

Vanilla slices

Vanilla slices have custard sandwiched between two layers of pastry and topped with icing similar to a French mille feuille. They are also known as custard slices and in this recipe I have used homemade custard to add a touch of luxury. They are also enjoyed in a number of other English speaking countries.

Recipe for vanilla slices

Brandy snaps

These golden lacy tubes are simply delicious either on their own, filled with brandy cream or coated in chocolate. They are associated with Yorkshire in the north of England and were traditionally a fairground treat. Make some at home using just a few pantry staples for a festive treat.

Recipe for brandy snaps

Flapjacks

Flapjacks are traditionally made using golden syrup, butter and sugar. In this recipe I have used honey in place of golden syrup to add natural sugars and I have added dried fruit, seeds and nuts for extra texture and flavour. This recipe is flexible and you can easily create your own version by swapping ingredients of your choice.

Recipe for honey flapjacks

Rock cakes

Rock cakes are made using dried fruit and sweet spices and are a close relation to scones. They are irresistible when freshly baked and are simple to make. Rock cakes are freezer friendly making it easy to keep yourself stocked up with this classic bake.

Recipe for rock cakes

Lemon drizzle cake

This citrusy sponge cake is topped with a sticky lemon drizzle and is one of Britain's popular cakes. It is super moist and zesty and will stay fresh for several days or can be frozen. Enjoy a slice with a cup of tea or serve warm with custard for a winter dessert.

Recipe for lemon drizzle cake

Fruit bread

Fruit bread is delicious served toasted with butter, either for breakfast or as a snack. By using this easy no-knead bread recipe you can make your own loaf with minimal effort.

Recipe for fruit bread

Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns are soft, lightly spiced, fruity bread rolls decorated with a cross. They are traditionally eaten around Easter and are delicious served toasted and buttered. Using this easy recipe you can make your own to enjoy at home over the Easter holiday.

Recipe for hot cross buns

Fruit crumble

Fruit crumble is a popular dessert and is a good way to make the most of seasonal fruits. You can make it using a wide range of fruits such as apples, rhubarb, gooseberries or a mixture of fruits. You can also make it using frozen or tinned fruits. In this recipe I have added oats and seeds to the crumble mixture for added texture and flavour. Serve it either warm or cold, with custard, cream or ice cream.

Recipe for fruit crumble

Baked apples

Baked apples are a great way to make use of apples when they are in season. They are filled with dried fruits and spices and can be prepared in minutes. Serve with custard or ice cream for an easy seasonal dessert.

Recipe for baked apples

Mince pies

Mince pies are individual pastries filled with a lightly spiced and boozy fruit filling. They are a popular treat in Britain over the Christmas holiday period and are simple to make. They are freezer friendly so you can bake them in advance ready to share with family and friends.

Recipe for mince pies

Christmas cake

Christmas cake is made using dried fruits and zest which have been soaked in alcohol. The alcohol preserves the cake so it can be made months in advance, and is then fed with extra alcohol to keep it moist. It can also be made at the last minute if you are short of time. Christmas cake can be enjoyed on it's own, covered with icing and marzipan or with a slice of cheese.

Recipe for English Christmas cake