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Jaffa Cake Recipe: A Classic British Snack
Picture this: a delicate sponge cake base, topped with sweet and sour citrus jelly, smothered in rich chocolate. That, my friends, is the magic of this copycat Jaffa cake recipe that will transport you right to England!
If you’re looking to nom nom your way through British culture, this Jaffa cake recipe is the perfect way to transport your tastebuds straight across the pond. Get ready for a bit of Jaffa cake magic!
These irresistible snacks strike the ultimate flavor balance that’s actually super easy to make. One nibble and it’s like chomping into sunshine! It’s no wonder that Jaffa cakes have had Brits happily dunking them in tea for decades!
In this post, I’m breaking down everything you need to know to recreate these iconic baked goods right in your own kitchen. You’ll get the inside scoop on the Jaffa cake recipe, from its sweet history, tips for baking them to perfection, and the great cake/cookie debate that rocked Britain.
Plus, find out how to unleash your inner Jaffa cake creator with fun flavor twist ideas. From lemon raspberry to mocha, the possibilities are as endless as they are tasty.
Ready for another culinary trip to England? Grab your apron and let’s dive into the world of Britain’s favorite Jaffa cake!
WAIT, IS THE JAFFA CAKE BRITISH OR ISRAELI?
The original Jaffa cake emerged in England in 1927 through a partnership between McVitie and Price. William McVitie ran a small bakery in Edinburgh, Scotland while Robert Price operated a cake business in Birmingham, England. The two joined forces to create a range of biscuits and baked snacks under the McVitie and Price company name.
At their factory in London, one of their expert bakery teams set out to invent the Jaffa cake as an exciting new confection. The goal was to produce a light and airy small cake with a burst of orange flavor. The name Jaffa came from the Jaffa oranges grown in Israel that were very popular at the time. In fact, the idea for Jaffa cakes was inspired by the trend of soaking Jaffa orange segments in wine, then eating them as a post-dinner treat.
To re-create this flavor experience in cake form, the bakery developed a simple three-layer construction. A base of light sponge could provide the cake element. This would be topped with orange jelly made from real fruit juices to mimic the tangy orange segments. And a layer of luxurious chocolate would tie everything together.
When Jaffa cakes launched in 1927, they were an immediate success across Britain. The treat was seen as an affordable luxury that offered a burst of sunny, summery orange flavor even during the cold winter months. More than 90 years later, millions of Jaffa cakes are still enjoyed every year in the UK alone!
PERFECTING THE JAFFA CAKE RECIPE
Jaffa cakes aren’t readily available in the US, nor in many countries around the world. You might be able to find them in specialty stores outside England. And, if you’re into it, you can have them shipped to you at a premium.
Making them at home, though, lets you experience the tastes of England without having to book a trip or pay high shipping prices. I know what you’re thinking… “Homemade cookies don’t taste the same as store bought!
No they don’t, my friend. Homemade cookies taste way better than store-bought!
Getting commercial cookies to taste just right can be difficult, but not with Jaffa cakes! This recipe is my take on the original version of the cookie and (to me) tastes just like the real thing. Especially if you let them sit out for a day or two.
There are a few tips I can give you that will help you make the best tasting and most authentic Jaffa cake at home:
- Start with room temperature eggs. Warmer eggs will fluff up with more volume. This will help give you a spongier cake.
- Use silicone baking molds. These silicone baking molds really do make a difference in your baking. They’re flexible and help release the cakelets a lot easier than metal bakeware.
- Don’t use real orange juice in the jelly mixture. It’s tempting, even logical, but orange juice can be really acidic and may not work with some gelatins. Also, the orange flavor in the store-bought Jaffa cakes are a little diluted, in my opinion. Using orange will mess up the flavor.
THE GREAT JAFFA CAKE RECIPE DEBATE: ARE THEY CAKE OR COOKIE?
Jaffa cakes are legally considered a cake in the UK. And yes, there was a literal court ruling over the debate!
The debate comes from the texture of the Jaffa cake, which has both cake and cookie-like qualities. It also comes from the history of the Jaffa cake recipe that started out as more of a cookie.
While the original Jaffa cake recipe from 1927 has stayed largely the same, McVitie’s has made minor tweaks over the decades to perfect the Jaffa cake’s balance of flavors and textures.
In the early days, the light sponge base was made with egg whites rather than whole eggs. This resulted in a firmer, biscuit-like texture. When manufacturing scaled up, the recipe was changed to include whole eggs beaten into a fluffy sponge cake batter. This improved the soft, tender bite.
But even with these changes, customers argued over whether the Jaffa cake recipe was considered a true “cake”. The recipe had a cake base, but was eaten much like a cookie. Others argued that a cake is a cake, regardless of how it was eaten.
Then, in 1991, the debate went to court for an official ruling (for real). Jaffa cakes needed an official stamp of approval as a cake so that McVitie’s didn’t have to pay the cookie tax (also for real). They got that stamp and are now officially recognized as a cake.
JAFFA CAKE RECIPE VARIATIONS
In stores, Jaffa cakes come in both orange and raspberry varieties. Both are equally delicious! This Jaffa cake recipe is perfect for recreating the most popular cookie in the UK, but don’t just stick to the OG flavors.
To make this Jaffa cake recipe your own, try out these flavor combos:
Lemon Raspberry Jaffa Cakes. Switch out the orange jelly for a bright lemon curd swirled with raspberry jam.
Mocha Jaffa Cakes. Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the sponge cake, which will pair perfectly with the rich chocolate topping.
Tropical Jaffa Cakes. Make a summery treat with mango jelly and coconut shredded into the sponge. Top with a vanilla white chocolate coating.
Berry Jaffa Cakes. Fresh berry jelly provides a sweet-tart twist! Mix freeze-dried strawberry pieces into the sponge for even more fruit flavor.
Spiced Jaffa Cakes. Whip ground spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg into the sponge. Chai mix works great, too! The spices pair perfectly with the orange jelly and add a little warmth to the flavor.
The possibilities are endless for reinventing this Jaffa cake recipe into different flavor combos. Bring your creativity into the kitchen and take your tastebuds on an adventure that’s off the beaten path!
IF YOU LIKE THIS JAFFA CAKE RECIPE, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
This jaffa cake recipe has a great balance of cake, fruit, and topping. If you’re into that combo, check out these recipes:
STORING JAFFA CAKES
This Jaffa cake recipe is pretty low maintenance, but the cakes are pretty delicate. They do require some attention to keep them at their best. To store Jaffa cakes, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.
You can put them in the fridge if your space is pretty warm, but let them come back to room temp before enjoying. Keeping them in colder temperatures will cause the cake to become a little bit harder.
Likewise, don’t keep them in the freezer. Unfortunately this Jaffa cake recipe is not recommended for advanced baking. The earliest I would suggest you make them is a day or two before enjoying them. This is because after being frozen, the gelatin will melt when they return to room temp and they’ll be ruined.
If you’re looking to make these ahead of time and want to freeze them, I would skip the gelatin step and just use a good quality orange marmalade instead. The flavor will be a little bit more intense than a true Jaffa cake, but still delicious!
BRITISH JAFFA CAKE RECIPE
Yield: 30
Copycat British Jaffa Cake Recipe
Light and fluffy spongecake base topped with a punchy orange-flavored filling, and slathered with rich chocolate. This recipe is inspired by Britain's most beloved cake!
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
9 minutes
Additional Time
4 hours
Total Time
4 hours 39 minutes
Ingredients
- Orange Jelly Filling:
- 6 oz. Orange Flavored Gelatin
- 2 Packets (1/4 oz) Unflavored Gelatin
- 1 Cup Water
- Sponge:
- 3 Eggs, Separated and Room Temp
- 1 Egg White, Room Temp
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- Chocolate Coating:
- 1 Cup Bittersweet Chocolate
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable Shortening
Instructions
- Make the Gelatin. In a medium heat-safe bowl, combine all the gelatin with a few tablespoons of boiling water. Carefully stir to combine. Add the remaining water and whisk to remove any lumps.
- Gently pour into a rimmed 9x13" sheet pan and place in the fridge to set, about 2-4 hours to overnight. Once set, use a round cookie cutter or bottle cap to cut about 30 circles, measuring about 1" in diameter.
- Make the Sponge Cake Base. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add in a tablespoon of granulated sugar and continue whipping for 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining sugar, beating until soft peak stage. Add in the yolks and mix to combine.
- Add in the baking powder, vanilla, and half of the flour. Mix until just combined before adding in the rest of the flour.
- Spoon 1-1.5 tablepoons of batter into each cavity of a silicone scalloped cakelet mold. Place on a cookie sheet and bake until the tops of the cakelets are golden and the batter starts to pull away from the edges, about 7-9 minutes. Cool completely.
- Make the Chocolate Coating. Combine the shortening and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Let cool until the chocolate is lukewarm, but still runny.
- Assemble. Once the jelly is completely set and the chocolate is lukewarm you can begin to assemble the cakes. Place a jelly circle on top of one of the cakes. Spoon about a tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each jelly disc and carefully spread to coat the entire cakelet evenly. Let the chocolate harden at room temperature, about 2 hours. Enjoy!
HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE BRITISH CULTURE
At Olivia Goes Global, we believe every day has something wonderful to celebrate! Jaffa cakes are considered the most popular cake in England. The combination of sweet chocolate and sour citrus makes these cakes so addictive, you want them all year long! Try out this Jaffa cake recipe and take a bite into British culture!