Rock Cakes Recipe

A quick and comforting bake with a crumbly outside, soft centre, and sweet bursts of dried fruit.

When you’re in the mood for something homemade but don’t want to spend ages in the kitchen, rock cakes are the perfect solution. They’re old-fashioned in the best way — simple, satisfying, and wonderfully nostalgic.

Best of all? You can mix them by hand or in a food processor — whichever suits you best.

You can cook them in an oven or an air fryer, this recipe shows the steps for an oven, but air fryer rock cakes is the same, check them being made in an air fryer here.

How To Make Rock Cakes

Making rock cakes doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or preparation. But don’t let the simplicity fool you into thinking they will taste any less special.

What You Need

The recipes calls for ingredients that are found in most kitchen cupboards; self-raising flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter, egg and sultanas (or your choice of mixed fruit). Adding a little sprinkling of cinnamon adds a little twist to the taste, but this is entirely optional.

For exact measurements or to print this recipe out please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.

Self-Raising Flour

This gives the rock cakes their rise and crumbly texture.

Baking Powder

Just 1 tsp helps them puff up a little more.

Mixed Spice (Optional)

Adds a lovely warming flavour, especially good in autumn and winter — but you can leave it out if you prefer, or use ground cinnamon instead.

Cold Butter

Use unsalted butter, cut into small cubes. The key is to keep it cold so you get a nice crumbly texture. Margarine or baking spread works too, but the flavour won’t be quite as rich.

Caster Sugar

Fine sugar gives a light sweetness without being too grainy. You could swap in granulated if needed.

Dried Fruit

Sultanas, raisins, or a mix — whatever you have to hand. You can even add a few glacé cherries or chocolate chips for a fun twist.

Egg

Helps bind everything together.

Milk

Just a splash or two — it brings the dough together. Add a little more if your mixture feels too dry.

Salt

A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness and brings out the flavour.

Making Them

One of the best things about rock cakes is how forgiving they are — no perfect shaping needed.

You can make these entirely by hand or use a food processor for speed. Here’s how to do both:

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

By hand: Add the flour, baking powder, mixed spice (if using), and a pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

In a food processor: Add the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, salt, and cubed butter. Use the Pulse function or Auto IQ Mix (about 30 seconds) until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Step 3: Add Sugar and Fruit

Stir in the caster sugar and dried fruit, making sure it’s evenly distributed through the mixture.

Step 4: Mix in the Wet Ingredients

Beat the egg with 2 tbsp of milk, then pour it into the bowl.

By hand: Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix everything together into a stiff dough. If it feels too dry, add a splash more milk.

In a food processor: Pulse gently until the dough just comes together. Don’t overmix — it should still be a little rough.

Step 5: Scoop and Shape

Use two spoons or your hands to scoop out golf ball-sized mounds of dough. Place them onto your lined baking tray, leaving space in between as they’ll spread slightly while baking. You should get around 9–10 rock cakes.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the edges feel firm. They should still feel soft in the middle — they’ll firm up a bit more as they cool.

Step 7: Cool and Enjoy

Transfer the rock cakes to a wire rack and leave them to cool slightly before tucking in. They’re delicious warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Tips & Variations

• Make them extra fruity: Add some chopped glacé cherries or dried cranberries.
• Swap the spice: Try ground cinnamon or nutmeg instead of mixed spice.
• Add crunch: Sprinkle a little demerara sugar on top before baking for a crunchy finish.
• Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer keeping.

More Baking Recipes

If you’re looking for more simple baking recipes be sure to check out some of these.

• Easy Scones
• Flapjacks
• Shortbread
• Banana Bread