Herb Rock Cakes Recipe

My family made herb rock cakes for many years while I was growing up, so I have fond memories of them.

We loved heading outside to pick the herbs, smell and taste them, crush them between our fingers, before we went inside to make the rock cakes. The fresh herbs in the butter smelled delicious and then while they were cooking, our mouths would water until they came out of the oven.

Any that weren't eaten warm, we would serve with a swipe of butter on the bottom, and they were just as good cool as they were warm!

And I promise, the word 'rock' in the name doesn't correlate to the texture! A rock cake is basically a small cake with a rough surface resembling a rock, but these ones look more like cookies to me. I've kept the name we called them as children though, in case it reminds someone else of them and their childhood.

Luckily, I found the recipe years later in my very old falling-apart recipe book, I'm so glad I'd saved the recipe! My daughters love them also, and they learn more about herbs as we cook together.

As a side note, rock cakes came about in the 2nd world war, since they have fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, but they are just as delicious, especially with the herbs in them.

Herb Rock Cakes Recipe

• 50gm butter
• 14 calendula flower heads (only use the petals)
  
• 6 big leaves of pineapple sage
• 6 leaves of lemon geranium
• 2 sprigs of lemon balm

Melt butter, add the chopped herbs and leave to sit while preparing the other ingredients.

In a bowl, add:

• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 cup flour (can be mixed plain & wholemeal)
• 1/2 tspn baking powder
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped dates/raisins/sultanas

Add butter to the dry ingredients, then add:

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten

Mix all together. Drop onto a baking tray and cook for approx 12 minutes at 180C, or until golden brown around the edges.

You can change the herbs around depending on what you have growing, edible of course.

Serve warm or cool, they are delicious either way, and have the added benefit of the herbs in them!

Kai is medicine ♥