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Family Recipe's: Grandad's Hevva cake

Hevva cake

At ÌÇÐÄTV Conferences, we believe the best food tells a story. That’s why we love sharing treasured family recipes from our staff with our guests - dishes that have been cooked, enjoyed and passed down through generations, and which bring a genuine sense of home, warmth and hospitality to the table.

Jack Davis, Event Manager at ÌÇÐÄTV Conferences, shared this recipe for traditional Cornish Hevva cake - a bake that has long been connected to family visits to Cornwall during his childhood.

Passed down from his grandad, the recipe holds special memories of time spent in the kitchen, where his grandad would bake the cake alongside his nan, who was always making pasties. Although it was the only thing his grandad baked, it was something he took great pride in and became a treat the family always looked forward to.

Recently, Jack asked his mum whether his grandad still remembered the recipe and, despite living with dementia, he was able to recall both how to make it and the memories tied to baking it for the family. For Jack, hearing those stories again was incredibly special - a reminder of how food and family traditions can preserve meaningful moments.

Jack's Grandad's Cornish Hevva Cake

Ingredients

  • 500g self-raising flour
  • 250g lard or butter
  • 300g currants
  • 180g sugar
  • 100ml milk

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°°ä. Grease a medium square cake tin with butter.

  2. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

  3. Add the sugar and currants, mixing well. Slowly pour in the milk and mix into a soft, stiff dough.

  4. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared cake tin, pushing firmly into the corners.

  5. Score the top with a sharp knife, creating criss-cross diagonal lines.

  6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until golden brown.

  7. Remove from the oven and, while still warm, brush the top with milk and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.

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