If you’ve ever wandered through an antique store and spotted one of those heavy old gem irons, you might have wondered what on earth they were used for.
These days they’re more likely to be decorating a shelf than baking in someone’s kitchen, but years ago they were used to make beautiful little sponge cakes that became the star of many Australian afternoon teas.
This recipe is inspired by those traditional jelly cakes, but we’ve made them in a simple lamington-style shape that’s much easier for modern home bakers.
And trust us, they’re every bit as delicious.
If you’ve never tried old fashioned jelly cakes before, you’re in for a real treat. These soft sponge cakes are dipped in fruity jelly, rolled in coconut and served with a generous dollop of fresh cream in the middle. They’re sweet, dainty and surprisingly hard to stop at just one.
One of the best things about jelly cakes is how versatile they are. Strawberry is the classic flavour and still my personal favourite, but there’s no reason not to get creative. Lemon, pineapple and blueberry all work beautifully and can make a lovely mixed platter for parties and celebrations.
They’re perfect for:
- Garden parties
- Baby showers
- Mother’s Day afternoon teas
- School bake sales
- Weekend baking with the kids
- Christmas in July celebrations
Even better, they freeze beautifully. In fact, some people swear they’re almost better eaten slightly frozen on a warm afternoon.
A little tip though: these old fashioned jelly cakes don’t love extreme heat.
If you’re in the warmer parts of Australia, they’re best enjoyed during the cooler months when the cream stays firm and the cakes hold their shape.
Old-Fashioned Jelly Cakes
Soft sponge dipped in jelly and rolled in coconut—retro treat.
12
servings15
minutes25
minutes230
kcal40
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1/2 cups Sugar, Castor
2 Eggs-(room temperature)
1/2 cups Milk
2.5 cups Coconut -desiccated
125 gram Butter-(at room temp)
75 gram Jelly-(1 pkt..whatever flavour you like!)
1.33 cups Flour Self-Raising
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Grease a square cake tin well and line with baking paper.
- Using beaters, cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs until just combined.
- Fold in the flour and milk until smooth.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack.
- Whilst waiting for the cake to cool, mix the jelly crystals with 1 cup of boiling water and stir until the crystals are dissolved.
- Add 200ml of cold water and chill until partially set.
- Cut the cake into squares, dip the cakes in the jelly mixture, then roll in the coconut.
- Place the jelly cakes on a baking tray and chill for 1/2 hour.
Equipment
Notes
- Jelly Cakes are suitable to freeze for up to two months.
More Recipes Worth Baking
These family favourites are well worth adding to your recipe collection:
- Pineapple Jelly Slice – another nostalgic jelly-based treat that’s always first to disappear.
- Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake – a rich chocolate dessert that creates its own sauce while baking.
- Apple Pie – the cosy homemade dessert that’s worth making from scratch.
- Creamy Chicken and Leek Casserole – comfort food at its absolute best on a cold night.
- Sticky Crispy Asian Pork Belly – perfect when you’re craving restaurant-style food at home.
If you’re someone who loves food that bring back childhood memories, save these recipes for later. And if your family has a favourite recipe that deserves a comeback, we’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Have your say!