Lincolnshire Layer Cake Recipe

175 g/6 oz/¾ cup butter or margarine

350 g/12 oz/3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

A pinch of salt

150 ml/¼ pt milk

15 ml/1 tablespoon dried yeast

For the filling:

225 g/8 oz sultanas (golden raisins)

225 g/8 oz/1 cup soft brown sugar

25 g/1 oz/2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2.5 ml/½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 egg, separated

Method:

Rub half the butter or margarine into the flour and salt until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Warm the remaining butter or margarine with the milk until hand-hot, then mix a little to a paste with the yeast. Stir the yeast mixture and the remaining milk and butter into the flour mixture and knead to a soft dough. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size. Meanwhile, place all the filling ingredients except the egg white in a pan over a low heat and leave until melted.

Roll out a quarter of the dough to a 20 cm/8 in circle and spread with one-third of the filling. Repeat with the remaining quantities of dough and filling, topping with a circle of dough. Brush the edges with egg white and seal together. Bake in a preheated oven at 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5 for 20 minutes. Brush the top with egg white, then return to the oven for a further 30 minutes until golden.