Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
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Ingredients
For the sponge
275g self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
225g soft unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk
For the orange layer
about 5 oranges
30g cornflour
juice of ½ lemon
60g caster sugar
20g unsalted butter, diced
For the topping
40g unsalted butter
20g cocoa powder, sifted
2 tbsp milk, plus extra if needed
175g icing sugar, sifted
50g milk chocolate, melted
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These keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm traybake tin.
For the sponge, first grate the zest from 2 of the oranges that you need for the orange layer, adding the zest to a large mixing bowl. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt then add the rest of the sponge ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat for about 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape into the prepared tin, level the surface and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and slightly springy to the touch.
Meanwhile, make the orange layer. Squeeze the oranges until you have 280ml juice, then strain this through a sieve. Measure 3 tablespoons of the strained juice into a small bowl and mix with the cornflour to make a paste. Put the rest of the measured juice in a pan with the lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cornflour paste and stir until thickened. Mix in the butter, remove from the heat and set aside.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. If the orange layer has started to set in the pan, warm it again briefly then pour over the sponge and spread out with a spatula. Leave to cool completely then remove the cake from the tin using the lining paper to help to lift it out.
For the icing, melt the butter in a saucepan. Mix in the cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add 2 tablespoons of milk and mix until smooth. Remove from the heat and gradually mix in the sifted icing sugar. Add a little more milk if it really needs it, but you should have a thick but pourable glossy icing. Pour all over the cake as evenly as possible; don’t worry if some of the orange layer shows through in a couple of places. Drizzle with the melted milk chocolate and leave to set. Cut into fingers to serve.
Tip
Make it gluten-free Use gluten-free flour and baking powder, adding 1⁄2 tsp xanthan gum, and increase the milk in the sponge to 4 tbsp.
In 1991 the sweet treats were subject to what would become a very famous tax dispute with HMRC. HM Customs and Excise had decided that Jaffa Cakes were biscuits, therefore subject to pay VAT, unlike cakes which were classed as a staple food necessity and therefore exempt from the same tax as biscuits.
The court was adjudicated by Mr Donald Potter QC, who found in favour of McVitie's and ruled that whilst Jaffa Cakes had characteristics of both cakes and biscuits, the product should be considered a cake and not a biscuit, meaning that VAT is not paid on Jaffa Cakes in the United Kingdom.
During the court battle between Mcvitie's and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, Mcvitie's baked a giant Jaffa Cake to prove that Jaffa cakes were really cakes and not biscuits. It was a long and costly dispute, but McVities finally tasted sweet success and Jaffa Cakes were finally recognised as chocolate covered cakes.
(slang) An impotent or infertile male. The term comes from the "seedless" orange. "I've heard he's a jaffa." Wiktionary. (cricket) A ball that is very difficult for the batsman to hit because it moves erratically either through the air or off the pitch.
For athletes, Jaffas can indeed provide a necessary energy boost. "This carbohydrate is ideal for athletes, especially during training or a game as it will provide a quick and tasty source of fuel. Energy gels and similar are less palatable so less likely to be consumed in adequate amounts.
Scottish oatcakes, spicy hot crossed buns, proper scones and such seasonal treats as Bath buns, Easter Simnel Cake, the tiny mince pies (tartlets really) that are an important part of a British Christmas, Penguins and Jaffa Cakes (favorite chocolate coated British biscuits - aka cookies) are all allowed.
McVitie's axes another iconic product after Fruit Clubs discontinued as fans devastated. McVitie's has confirmed another one of its iconic treats has been axed - leaving fans devastated. Mini Jaffa Cakes are sadly no longer available to buy - however, it isn't clear exactly when McVitie's decided to pull the product.
Jaffa cakes are made in factories and take 18 minutes from start to finish to make. 2K Jaffa Cakes are made every minute. McVitie's once produced an giant jaffa cake called "the Big One," but the production did not last long. Jaffa cakes are in fact cakes, not a biscuit.
The UK tax authorities argued that Jaffa Cakes should be classified as biscuits, and therefore subject to VAT (value-added tax), while the manufacturer, McVitie's, argued that Jaffa Cakes were cakes and should be exempt from VAT.
The overall size has been reduced from 5.5cm to 5cm across, while the orange bump is down from 4cm to 3cm. It means Jaffa Cakes have become the latest victim of “shrinkflation” - where the size of a product is reduced, but the price stays the same or increases.
McVitie's is launching a new Jaffa Cake flavour based on retro childhood sweets and fans are divided over it. It marks the first ever non-fruit flavour since the first Jaffa Cake was made in 1927 - and fans of the traditional biscuit are less than impressed with the revamp and shake-up from the company.
McVitie & Price introduced the Jaffa Cake in 1927. It contained a simple combination of sugar and tangerine oil to form the sealed layer of jam. The cakes were named after the Jaffa oranges which flavour the zesty centre of the cake.
The court case was because biscuits are taxed differently than cakes. In the United Kingdom cakes are treated as a staple food so value-added tax is not charged. Biscuits are taxed because they are treated as a luxury. McVitie's did not register the name "Jaffa Cakes" as a trademark.
The number of Jaffa Cakes has been cut from 12 to 10 in the latest example of packaged food "shrinkflation". The packs weigh 122 grams rather than 150 grams, but McVitie's has cut the recommended price from £1.15 to 99p. Twin packs, which now have 20 cakes rather than 24, are now £1.89 rather than £2.19.
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Prep time: 35 mins
