This is the traditional cake served to first footers at Hogmanay, who came to wish a Happy New Year and cadge a wee dram! Blackbun should be made about a month in advance to give it time to mature before eating - if you can resist it for that long...
Ingredients
Shortcrust pastry
- 10 oz (283g) self raising flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 oz (113g) vegan margarine
- Soya milk to bind
Filling
- 1 lb (454g) raisins
- 1/2 lb (227g) dates
- 1/2 lb (230g) currants
- 2 oz apricots (65g) (dried, chopped)
- 4 oz almonds (110g) (chopped)
- 4 oz muscovado (115g) sugar
- 8 oz (253g) plain flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp all spice
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 pint (142ml) soya yoghurt
- 1/4 pint (142ml) whisky
Method
- First make the shortcrust pastry. Add all dry ingredients, rub in margarine and then bind with the milk.
- To make the filling mix all the filling ingredients together.
- Roll out pastry into a large rectangle. Line middle of pastry with filling and roll up into a big 'sausage'. Bake in medium / hot oven for half an hour.
