What do the Brits mean by ordering "Tea and CAKES"?

A

anna_x

Well-known member
I am to bring the snacks for my morning book club. The book is "Radio Girls" and is about the early days of the BBC and the fictionalized role of women. The protagonist is always hungry and always wants tea and cakes. So, are the cakes petit fours, little cookies, tassies, or what?

I do plan on scones, clotted cream, and lemon curd or jam. What do you think?

 
Your scones will be perfect, but a Victoria cake would also work. Basically

a genoise (sponge) that is split and layered with strawberry jam and powdered sugar on top. There are a million recipes for it out there after the Great British Bake-Off included it as a classic British cake.
Many of them add whipped cream in the middle.

I noticed that a lot of the British versions use self-rising flour. I've never had luck with that stuff. They also used two thin layers as opposed to splitting one single thick layer.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1997/classic-victoria-sandwich

 
Butterfly cakes

I learned to make these at school, and they are so pretty. You can use any cupcake recipe, really. When my daughters were small, I used Funfetti mix (Shh, don't tell anyone) because the dots of color were so pretty on the butterfly wings.

I made the Victoria sponge last year at Marilyn's recommendation and it is excellent. Scones with strawberry jam and cream are essential. You could always add a cucumber sandwich or two for those who are avoiding sugar. smileys/smile.gif

I wish I could join you!

https://www.christinascucina.com/traditional-british-butterfly-cakes/

 
Oh, these are adorable! I will use buttercream instead of whipped because they'll sit out.

 
Tea and cakes...

It could mean a sugar cookie (a biscuit in Britain). It could mean a bakewell tart (very fussy), and it could mean buttered bread. The host determines this.

But going back to your original post, it probably means tiny peitt fours for your girls. Otherwise, for a normal tea, it could mean slices of bread with jam and butter and a slice of a tea bread.

 
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