Sunday, 24 March 2013

The Cake with Too Many Names

I don't think there is another bake in the entire universe that has as many names  as this one.

For some, it is a Fridge Cake. For others, a biscuit cake. All through my childhood we called it 'Choccy Wokky Do-Dah'. My friend calls her version 'My Easy-Peasy Cake for People Who Don't Bake' Cake. And it goes by the name 'Tiffin' in some circles and has even been referred to as 'Cold Dog Biscuits' (I think I prefer our childhood name just a teensy bit more).

So flippin' confusing.

But the common thread is that this is a non-bake, cake-like creation comprising of crushed biscuits, syrup, chocolate and dried fruit. Marshmallows, Rice Krispies, Maltesers, meringue and all manner of other additions can also be stirred in. 

And boy is it good.

So good in fact, Prince William requested it as his wedding cake.

(Well, second wedding cake. The first was a far more fancy, traditional affair).

I baked this biscuit cake/choccy woky do-dah/tiffin/fridge cake (delete as applicable) for Andrew's birthday a few weeks back. After posing the question: 'And exactly what cake shall I bake for your birthday this year, my love?' we spent the next thirty minutes ruling out Andrew's first request: a 'wine cake'. I have since discovered that both Martha Stewart and Smitten Kitchen have recipes for wine cake. Who'd have thought it.

Anyways, this version of the Cake-With-Too-Many-Names is an elegant, adult-only boozy affair with an extremely generous helping of kirsch.

Soured Cherry Cake-With-Too-Many-Names Cake

150g soured cherries
1 tbsp kirsch
250g Rich Tea biscuits
350g chocolate
150g unsalted butter
2 tbsp golden syrup

Handful of cherries to decorate

1. Line a 20cm x 20cm square tin with cling film. Pop the cherries in a small dish and pour over the kirsch. Set aside for a few hours if possible
2. Place the Rich Tea in a food bag and bang the biscuits to crush them into gravel sized pieces with a rolling pin. Ever so satisfying.
3. Melt 200g of the chocolate, butter and syrup in a small glass bowl suspended over a pan of gently simmering water
4. Stir in the biscuits and cherries, including any left over kirsch.
5. Spoon the mixture into the square tin. Melt the remainder of the chocolate and pour over the biscuit base. Decorate the top with a handful of cherries and pop in the fridge for a few hours.

Baker's notes...

  • Omit the cherries and add raisins, sultanas, apricots, all manner of lovely dried fruits. Or up the chocolate factor and add chocolate chips
  • To cut, run a sharp knife under a hot tap for 10 seconds or so, dry off the excess water and cut the cake into squares
  • And because of Prince William has given his stamp of approval to the Cake-With-Too-Many-Names I'm entering this crackin' chocolate creation in this month's We Should Cocoa blogging challenge, hosted by Lucy from The KitchenMaid with the theme: 'Fame'. Lucy is calling for famous chocolate recipes. We Should Cocoa was created by Chele at Chocolate Teapot and Choclette of Chocolate Log Blog


  1. Yum! I know this as Chocolate Crunch Cake, just to add yet another alias to the Cake-with-too-many-names! It's like a spy agent finding its way into all homes under different disguises!! Really like the addition of a liquor to make a grown up version, thinking an almond/amaretto combo is beckoning ...

  2. Delia Smith calls her 'grown-up' version a chocolate-crunch torte!

  3. I've always known it as refrigerator cake or tiffin. Whatever you call it, it's ace!

  4. Ah looks lovely! I couldn't add alcohol though, but I bet it tasted amazing. When I made a fridge cake it calls for icing sugar and egg, next time I think I'll stick to biscuits...

  5. Ha ha, wonderful. I think this is my favourite cake ever. I sometimes call it tiffin and sometimes refrigerator cake, but I've also heard it called no-bake cake and any number of other things. Haven't made it for ages and it's about time I did. Your version sounds delicious. I usually add a slug of Amaretto to mine and a few chunks of crystallised ginger too. Fab famous entry to We Should Cocoa :)

  6. Mmmmmmm tiffin (yup, I'm in that camp). It always reminds me of my Great Auntie 'Manda. Happy belated birthday to Andrew!

  7. This does have a lot of names but chocolate biscuit cake it was for me growing up! Your additions of sour cherries and Kirsch is a brilliant idea, I may add Cherry Brandy to mine :))

  8. It's tiffin in our family, and I love the addition of some alcohol.

  9. I LOVE chocolate biscuit cake (that's what we call it in the little loaf household). My Mum used to make it for us in a rabbit shaped mould surrounded by green jelly for grass - the perfect birthday party cake! I still have an extremely soft spot for it now - in fact I may have to make some for Easter now I've seen this!

    Ps red wine chocolate cake is definitely a thing and really yummy, highly recommend trying it!

  10. It looks delicious. I have never made a no-bake cake of any kind before so must try this one - what a yummy way to save on electricity !!

  11. I've always known this cake as simply refrigerator cake. But I, for one, don't care what it's called as long as it's yummy!

  12. As children we called this chocolate mess, but if someone asked me about it I would probably call it tiffin... otherwise they might not know what I mean... xx

