currant buns

Another classic from the bero book – and these little currant buns hold very fond memories as the first things I ever baked!

This is ultimate comfort baking, and I have now done the recipe so often I could do it in my sleep – and they have never failed me (apart from a time I put 4 eggs in instead of 2…..oops!!). You can bake the mix as a single sponge cake, or make 12-15 little buns out of one mix, and it’s very easy to scale up for larger batches.

You will need:

• 4 oz caster sugar
• 4 oz butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 oz self-raising flour
• 1 – 2 oz currants

Cream the butter and sugar together, and then add the eggs and the flour. Mix until combined before adding the currants. Half fill paper cases and bake at 190 degrees for about 15 minutes.

So easy! This is a brilliant recipe for a first time baker, but is one that I keep coming back to because it is simpler than lots of other recipes meaning I will always have all the ingredients in the cupboards, and because it is so versatile. A couple of suggestions:

1. Replace the currants with chocolate chips
2. Replace 1 oz of the flour with 1 oz of cocoa powder for a quick chocolate sponge
3. Add crystallised ginger, or any type dried fruit into the mix in place of the current (1 – 2 oz per mix)
4. Add lemon zest to the mix and top with a lemon buttercream icing

Right now I have some chocolate sponge ones with chocolate chips in the oven, and I can’t wait to eat one with a cup of tea after a tiring day out climbing with Ben!