Rock buns or Rock Cakes

Rock Buns or cakes have often unjustly been the butt of many baking jokes. Too often hard, dry and rocky by nature as well as by name, they have come to epitomise a mean austere style of vintage baking. Yet when they are made with plenty of butter, soft brown sugar, a generous helping of plump dried fruit, a waft of nutmeg and a grating of lemon zest, they can be utterly, meltingly delicious. Rock buns need to be large and filling, the kind of thing you'd be happy to find in a cake tin after a long walk or an energetic game, or for a rather good elevenses on any day the week.

FOR THE BUNS:
340g Plain Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
a good grating of fresh nutmeg
a pinch of mixed spice ( optional )
170g light soft brown sugar
300g mixed dried fruits or just plain raisins / sultanas ( your choice )
finely grated zest of 1 lemon ( well washed )
170g butter at room temperature but not too soft
1 large egg
1-2 tbsp milk

You will need :
1 large baking sheet or cookie sheet lined with baking parchment paper.

Mix Method:

Preheat oven to 180 C or 360 F degrees.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and spice in a large bowl.
Prepare your dried fruit. Add finely grated lemon zest and stir to combine.
Add the butter to your dry ingredients and rub together to resembles fine sandy bread crumbs until there are no lumps. Stir in your dried fruits and lemon zest.
Make a well in the centre and add your egg and milk. With the fork, mix quickly and lightly until combined and in a stiff-ish, firm, slightly sticky dough. 
be careful not to make the mixture too slack or it will turn into flat cookies when in the oven.
Using your hand or fork pile the mixture into 12 individual " rocks " (craggy piles) .
Bake in a preheated oven for 17-20 minutes.
Storage: Can be keep for 2 days in a airtight container. 1 week in the fridge. 1 month in the freezer.
Happy Baking to all!!!
Please Like my page in Facebook " Slice of Heaven " 
Subscribe my channel in You tube.