To Make Saffron Cakes
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720 approximately
Unknown Author
To Make Saffron Cakes
"Rub half a pound of Butter into three pints of Flower well dried then add four penny worth of Saffron finely pounded & half a pound of Sugar sifted & a pound of currants, beat three Eggs with four or five Spoonfull of Barm & mix them all together with good Milk pretty warm mix them something lighter than Wigs & work them well, & set it before the fire to rise, then beat them up & drop them on tins bake them in a quarter of an hour in a quick Oven. &c"
Note on the Original Text
This recipe uses the brisk, directive style typical of the era: ingredients are listed as the action unfolds, and measures echo the market or domestic kitchen—pints, pounds, and pennyworths abound. ‘Flower’ means flour; ‘Barm’ is live yeast from brewing, substituted today by fresh yeast or active dry yeast. 'Wigs' refers to another contemporary yeast bread, and the term 'drop' signals a softer, spooned dough. Spelling and punctuation meander, reflecting pre-standardized English and hurried kitchen scribes. The recipe assumes familiarity with technique and readiness to adapt quantities to local produce and tools.
Title
Cookbook of 1720 approximately (1720)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1720
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful window into early 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary tome brims with recipes, culinary wisdom, and the flavors of a bygone era—offering food enthusiasts a taste of both tradition and intrigue.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe hails from circa 1720, a Georgian household where breads and cakes were central to festivities and daily sustenance alike. Saffron, once a luxurious spice of royal banquets and country feasts, was prized for its fragrance, golden hue, and health-giving properties. Recipes like this would have appeared in handwritten household collections, passed from cook to cook and often tweaked with local abundance. The lavish use of butter, sugar, and imported currants signals a wealthier kitchen, while yeast (barm) links to the brewing tradition, as home-brewers supplied bakers with the essential leaven.
Cooks in the early 18th century would have used large wooden bowls for mixing, sturdy hands or wooden spoons for incorporating dense doughs, and a mortar and pestle to grind the saffron. Tins or shallow trays, greased with lard or butter, stood ready to receive the 'dropped' dough. The 'quick oven' refers to a well-heated wood or coal oven, often in the hearth, managed by careful attention and practice. A clean cloth and proximity to the hearth aided the rising process.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings
16
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 8 oz unsalted butter
- 1 lb plain wheat flour (all-purpose), dried or warmed
- 1/32 oz (about 1/5 tsp) saffron threads, crushed
- 8 oz caster sugar (sifted)
- 1 lb currants (or substitute with raisins if unavailable)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 oz fresh baker’s yeast (or 1/4 cup [4 tbsp] live liquid barm, if available)
- 2/3–3/4 cup warm whole milk (as needed)
Instructions
- To make these evocative Saffron Cakes, start by rubbing 8 oz unsalted butter into 1 lb plain flour that has been dried or gently warmed in a low oven.
- Crush a generous pinch (about 1/32 oz or 1/5 tsp) of high-quality saffron and add it to the flour mixture.
- Incorporate 8 oz of fine caster sugar and 1 lb of cleaned currants.
- In a separate bowl, beat three large eggs with about 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) of live baker’s yeast (or, as a modern equivalent, about 1/2 oz fresh yeast dissolved in a little warm milk).
- Combine everything together, adding just enough warm whole milk (approx.
- 2/3 to 3/4 cup) to form a slightly looser dough than for enriched buns (traditionally called 'wigs').
- Knead or beat until well combined and just elastic.
- Cover and allow the dough to proof in a warm spot until noticeably risen (1–2 hours).
- Beat the dough down once more, then drop large spoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking trays or greased tins, leaving enough room for spread.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for about 15 minutes or until golden and lightly baked throughout.
- Enjoy your taste of Georgian kitchen alchemy!
Estimated Calories
290 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 25 minutes to prepare the ingredients and dough, plus around 15 minutes to bake the cakes. Each saffron cake has about 290 calories, and this recipe makes about 16 cakes.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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