Southern Tea Cakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Are tea cakes African American? ›

Tea cakes are an integral part of African American food culture. Originating over 250 years ago, these cookies were a recipe passed down verbally through generations.

In the Southeastern United States, a teacake is a traditional dense large cookie, made with sugar, butter, eggs, flour, milk, and flavoring. They are particularly associated with the African-American community and were originally developed as an analog of the pastries served to guests by white women when entertaining.

Here at the Texas Tea Cake Company we say that tea cakes taste like a less buttery shortbread cookie with vanilla, spices, and a hint of sweetness.

Outside the South, the words “tea cake” mean any cake served with tea. But to Southerners, tea cakes are more than that. They are the nostalgic cookies—crispy and golden around the edges, soft and cake-like inside—that are perfect for tea, or just about anything else you choose to drink.

In enslaved households, molasses and other ingredients took the place of sugar and white flour in teacakes, and each family developed its own closely guarded recipe. Over time, teacakes become inextricably linked with Southern African American culture.

The Tunnock's Teacake is a sweet food often served with a cup of tea or coffee. It was developed by Sir Boyd Tunnock in 1956. The product consists of a small round shortbread biscuit covered with a dome of Italian meringue, a whipped egg white concoction similar to marshmallow, although somewhat lighter in texture.

Although they are widely known, tea cakes have not always gone by this name. They are referred to as currant buns or spiced buns in some regions of the UK. Similar baked goods have different names in other nations.

Travel cake also known as tea cake is topped with goodness of chocolate, vanilla or dry fruits, makes it a great bite for kids school snacks as well as adults over balcony coffee/ tea occasions.

Tea Cakes and brownies have average shelf life of 3-4 days if kept outside in AC room, wheres in fridge they will last for around 10 days. Other items have long shelf life of 40-80days.

How do you keep tea cake moist? ›

Don't overbake! This is probably the most important tip when it comes to keeping cakes nice and moist. If your batter is left in the oven too long the heat can cause the ingredients to become dry and crumbly. If you're a serial over-baker, investing in an oven thermometer can keep you on the straight and narrow.

Teacakes are not just for tea - While fruited teacakes are a classic accompaniment to a hot drink, they can be enjoyed in many different ways. For example, they can be used as a base for a delicious dessert, such as a teacake and butter pudding.

Some people mistake teacakes for being the same as a hot cross bun, but the former is actually a bread made with dried fruits and sometimes orange peel. Hot cross buns, on the other hand, have additional sugar, butter, milk and spices.

Tea cakes can trace their origin back to Great Britain where “afternoon tea” is still a part of everyday life. Afternoon tea began in the 1840s as a tradition of having a tea in the afternoons as a way to stave off hunger until the dinner meal was served.

Yes, Teacakes were just like Mallomars, but bigger than Mallomars. J preferred Teacakes because marshmallow was creamier and biscuit provided a better texture.

Teacakes. The Tunnock's Teacake is a sweet food often served with a cup of tea or coffee. It was developed by Sir Boyd Tunnock in 1956.

Interestingly, the ancient Egyptians were the first culture to exhibit baking skills, and during Ancient Times the cakes were more bread-like in appearance and sweetened with honey. The Greeks also had an early form of cheesecake, while the Romans developed versions of fruitcakes with raisins, nuts and other fruits.

Melissa Clark, a food columnist at the New York Times, states that these cookies aren't just a New York staple, they're a major part of Jewish culture. According to her, “Black-and-whites have been an entrenched part of the very robust Jewish cookie scene in New York City for a century.”