The BBC Manchester team
Message for Benjamin Hampton:
Benjamin, we'd be grateful if you could email the site or phone us (the address and number is below) to tell us more about your theory on the origin of the Eccles Cake.
Thanks
Benjamin Hampton
The very first recorded instance of the Eccles cake was during the time of The Crusades, the year being 1191 when Richard The Lionheart was besieging the port city of Acre. It is in fact an ancient Turkish dish which was named after one of Saladins generals Beha-ed-Dineccles. Due to its excellent properties of keeping fresh in hot weather, because of its high content of raisins and sultanas which were in plentiful supply it was an ideal food wrapped in pastry for the Muslims who were under siege in Acre. Towards the end of the siege with ammunition running low within Acre, Beha-ed-Dineccles men started throwing these at the Crusaders who noticed when they hit their shields and the ground they burst open to reveal the ingredients. The Crusaders who were running low on food started picking these up and eating them. They called them Eccles cakes after the general Beha-de-Dineccles and the recipe was brought back to England after The Crusades with lots of people through the years claiming it was they who invented the recipe, when in fact it is an old Turkish dish and not connected with the town of Eccles at all.
katie reed
I am currently living in Cornwall and you can get hold of Eccles cakes down here so it strikes me as very odd that they're dying out in their home!!
Grace Smith
My husband is from Manchester and I learned to bake Eccles Cakes from a recipe my husband's cousin gave me. This recipe has been passed onto our daughters. We live on Vancouver Island, B.C.Canada
and the Eccles Cakes we all now make is enjoyed by us and our friends.
roger, tameside
yet another british institution bites the dust,my daughter used to call them "necklace cakes", now she gives them to her kids.
Long live the "necklace cake".
Pauline Strother
Unless you're of British descent, not too many Canadians know what Eccles Cakes are, but once they try them, they're hooked! I have a recipe for Eccles Cakes from a very old Bero Self-Raising Flour Book and each time I make them, I have very happy people inhaling them!
P.S. I live in Toronto, Ontario - where good food always finds a good home.
Andrea Lloyd, Oldham
Being a Northern lass I am well keen on the odd Eccles cake with a mug of tea at about eleven when I get to put my feet up. I also have a soft spot for Chorley Cakes, or fly pie as my little uns call them, but Eccles cakes wit real butter are the best. When I were a girl we couldn't afford butter and we used to warm up the Eccles cakes before eating them so that we could collect the butter for our bread. Memories!
angus
i like eccles cakes but i cannot get them in this part of the world. unfortunatley.
John Austin
Here in Warwickshire I buy Eccles Cakes from Somerfields in Kenilworth.
They are a weekly treat for my family, we get though about 2 dozen a week.For me they are best served with a glass or two or more of wine, red or white, does'nt matter.
My life would be greatly deminished if they became unobtainable !
Rachel England Brassy
Whilst growing up, Eccles Cakes were considered the ultimate treat as they were bought only for my Dad - we mere kids were not allowed to eat them, except on rare occasions when we were allowed to. Hence the Eccles Cake remains rather an exotic option at the bakers for me......steps should be taken to raise the profile of the Eccles cake, with 'southern' celebs and great 'northern' footy stars be seen to tuck in to them whenever possible.
tricia
Loved these cakes while touring England. tried the Canadian version - no comparison. Don't let a good thing die! Wonderful flavour and a filling breakfast. Having had nothing but doughnuts, muffins and danishes here in Canada, much prefer the humble eccles.
Maureen M
Hey what a great idea! National Eccles Cake Day
Ive just clicked on to the website and found the info, i'll be making sure all the girls in my office eat a cake tomoz!
There a great Northern Treat, and go great witha nice cup of tea!
Cheryl Robertson - Mossley Hill, LIVERPOOL
Brenda, us Liverpudlians can actually speak properly and call 'Eccles cakes''Eccles cakes', it is obviously you who cannot understand us. Anything from Eccles, Manchester must be horrible anyway - they are just dead fly cakes.
John Watling - Skem
I hate dead flies in my cakes
Ian Rowland
Eccles cakes are alive and well in Vancouver,,,,Most small bakeries make them and they are great...absoltuley no problem getting an Eccles cake at any local shop...and they are mostly Chinese Bakers........
Irene lomax
Eccles cakes are in another category from Muffins & Danish.
Ypu can't buy a good one in Vancouver. Not since Markks & spencers closed.
ron neish
long live eccles cakes
David Eckersley
Note to Emma; Eccles cakes and Chorley cakes are not the same. You should get out more.
If Greggs won't sell Eccles cakes, boycott Greggs. Simple.
Brenda Bramhill
Liverpudlians call them "eccless" cakes, note "Eccles" cakes! Yummy, warmed in the microwave.
Terry of Warrington
Bakers should be innovative and market poor sellers more effectively - The Eccles Cake should stay and continue to be enjoyed by those who love them and those who have yet to discover them!!
Adrian Franco-Barrios
I lived in Manchester for two years during my student life at Manchester University.. Lot of times I tried Eccles cake.. of course much more delicious than Danish.. Please Mancunian people fight to keep this rich tradition..
Regards from Mexico.
Darren
there class ! get em back on't shelves.
wayne tomlinson
i live in eccles for 15 years and eccles cakes are the best.
Sam Wiseman - Manchester
I love Eccles cakes please don't stop making them.
Emma Lord from Littleborough
What more can I say Eccles Cakes are scrummy!!!! Nice cup of tea and an Eccles cake instant comfort food. DELICIOUS!!!!
vanessa lawton
the headlines were that greggs had taken it off their shelves... is that the only cake shop in the country? why should we care what greggs are doing. i use our local bakery or sainsburys. greggs is not important
Elaine McCann
At Smiths' restaurant we always have Eccles Cakes on our puddings menu - as an Eccles Restaurant how could we not ?
barkersoldbean
They disappeared from Greggs because they don't have a clue how to make them. They buy the danish pastry from someone else - maybe they should do the same for the eccles cake!
stuart crooke
i lived in eccles till i was 8 years old and love eccles cakes , it would be a disater if eccles cakes were to vanish
ian
I love eccles cakes.
yum yum
rick kenny
whats all this about (Another example of the americanisation of our society).
You can't blame this on the Yanks.
Emma
Whats the difference between an Eccles cake and a Chorley cake - arent they the same? Why do we need two of the same thing!
Marc Coster
I have loved Eccles cakes for as long as I can remember and would be dissappointed if they were completely removed from shelves... however, as long as Chorley cakes are still to be found, I will be happy!
Dave from Romiley
Why worry about what they think in Eccles? Always was a strange place!. I think they are great and the Lancashire Eccles Cake Co still make the best.
steve wooller
i am ashamed to say that i had forgotten all about eccles cakes, but i was pleased to see your report and today i went straight to the shops to buy some, even my young daughter enjoyed them and will be eating them from now on, thank you NW tonight
Fred Fitter, Whiston
Eccles cakes will remain one of my favourites, so will Danish pastries, but Eccles Cakes do not go stale as quick
Kim
We cannot possibly get rid of the eccles cake (because I love them). Why can't wee keep some of our English culture. I do truley beleive that we should try foods of the world but I also beleive that the world should try English foods. How can they possibly do this if we discontinue the production. I want my eccles cakes.
John Prior
This seems like Greggs trying to sell Muffins and Danish because they don't know how to make a good Eccles cake.
Craig Harris
The Eccles cake is alive and well at Waterfields bakery shops. This is a long established bakery which bakes delicious eccles cakes fresh in their shops every day. They have shops across the North-West covering the area between Liverpool and Manchester including all the major towns in between. The eccles cake is not dead, go out and buy one today!!!
John Robinson, Heaton Mersey
Another example of the americanisation of our society. My Grandad didn't live til the ripe old age of 82 by feasting on Skinny Lattes and Blueberry Muffins. The world's gone mad!
William Harris
Theres no competition! A Danish may be bigger but its mainly air and a very sugary filling. An Eccles is a packed with wholesome dried fruit, stay local always!
Maybe we should boycott Greigs and only suport bakers who still supply eccles cakes, and buy them of course!
kathy cragg
Eccles cakes are still wonderful in my view. They beat the stoggy danish pastries every time. If produced with decent fruit fillings,brown sugar and butter they still get my vote.
Margaret Grant
The nicest Eccles cakes I have ever tasted are made by Chatwin's Bakeries. They are based in Nantwich but have shops/outlets in south Cheshire and north Staffordshire including Crewe, Congleton, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel and Hanley. Give them a try.
Catherine Fish
I enjoy having the odd Eccles cake - classic comfort food for breakfast with coffee, or as a mid-afternoon snack. It'd be a shame if they were to disappear from bakery shelves altogether; I'm certain I'd not be the only person to miss them. Now that I know they're potentially an endangered species, I'll try and make an effort to get Eccles cake on a more regular basis instead of a muffin with my morning coffee.
G, Central Queensland, Australia
I went to school and even worked in Eccles. I know where the original shop was in Eccles. I try to get them in Australia. I cannot believe that production may stop. Bring production back to Eccles again.
Kerry FRAAS
I am born & raised in the USA. Never been to the UK. My Brit friend brought me some Chorley cakes & I fell in love. The next trip he brought me Eccles cakes & I became addicted. Now my entire family is hooked on the flaky buttery gems with just the right sweetness & fruity chewiness. French pastries are complex but weak. German pastries are a disappointment. Eccles cakes like you Brits always come through when it counts. The only British product we love more than Eccles cakes is Tony Blair
Dave P
Life wouldn't be the same without my Eccles Cakes !!!!! Are you reading this Anne ???
SYLVIA from ROMILEY
Hello Gordon,
We often take a break in our office and give ourselves an Eccles Cake treat. The only thing to come near this light sweet crumbly cake is a sturdy Chorley Cake. You can't beat 'em
Gary Jones
Having seen the original recipe printed in saturdays manchester evening news,my daughter asked if we could make some eccles cakes and after a bit of ear bending, of we went to asda for the flour,butter currants etc.
Following the recipe exactly, we made 84 eccles cakes!
nana,grandad, took some home and we are living on eccles cakes this week.I must say they are absolutly delicious.
So, if anyone is passing the house in eccles this week call round for an original eccles cake
Jim McDowall
The Eccles cake (and the Chorley cake) rank amongst the nobility of confectionery. Even as a diabetic, they are one of the few things I will "bend" my diet for. American confectionery doesn't even get a look in!
Marcus Greenwood
We at Greenwood's Craftsman Bakers still make and sell 100's of Eccles cakes every week. People in Oldham still want traditional fair
Linda Barrett
I asolutely adore Eccles cakes but I think that is a great pity that Asda and Tesco no longer sell the Real Lancashire Brand. The stores own brand cakes are nowhere near as good.
leanne
I'd prefer an eccles cake to a danish pastry anytime.
steven mcgawley
muffins are to dry unless u have a pint of milk and pastrys are just bland
Les Hampson
Eccles cakes are superb.As someone who really enjoys them I have only recently conducted my own survey on the best eccles cake.I have been to many local bakeries to compare from Bootle to Southport.Marks and Spencer rate very highly but for value and cost try C.F.Latham in Southport A small bakery off Hawkshead Road and Manningham Road (not far from Meols cop Station).Great taste good size excellant quality and really reasonable price.I buy them a dozen at a time and freeze them as if you go any day after 12.oo am the are sold out,not an eccles cake in sight so please dont try and tell me no-one likes them someones eating them apart from me.
been to many local bakers to find what I beleive to be the best.I only used to buy Lancashire eccles cakes but I found that Marks and Spencer were preferable however having been to many small bakeries in and around ormskirk to southport,the best eccles cakes for quality and cost are from C.F.Latham in Southport.Go there any day after 12.00 am and there supply is sold out without fail.
Trish phillips
eccles cakes are freshly baked ever day in the shop at all hampson & sayers shops.
Charles Morgan
They are a fabulous cake to eat, All I can say is try one before you decide (other cakes may look more interesting, but its the taste that is impoertant) and ensure it has been made properly
steve mcgawley
im in blackpool and i would nt swap eccles cakes for anything else a little bit of butter on top and there gorgeous. anyway who are greggs they hav nt a clue wots in and wots not i admit the eccles cakes they make ave got about 11 currants in them so thats y they dont sell any i think they should be banned from selling them anyway for not giving the eccles cake enough respect
Anne Morrissey
You can't beat a fresh Eccles Cake. If I go over to friends in Derbyshire I HAVE to make them and take some over, under pain of death. They are also hot sellers when I bake them for the Xmas Fair.
Andrew Rowland
As a Yorkshireman I dont think too many good things come out of Lancashire. But the eccles cake is definitely amongst the best things on offer in this country, I have eaten them for years.
Katy
I work for Greggs the bakers and so many people come into our shops and ask if we sell eccles cakes, we haven't sold them for years yet people still want them! it isn't anything to do with us! it's all down to the bakery not making them because we would sell them if we had them!!!
vicky
my dad says that the Eccles cakes are the best and they are BRITISH AND NORTHERN, and could eat a full pcket in one minute !!!!!
Steve Farrington
When I was in the RAF in Germany, I would stock up with Eccles cakes (and Chorley cakes) whenever I was home on leave in Preston. They commanded a high premium amongst my colleagues back in Germany. Eventually the NAAFI got them in, demand was so high, even the locals loved them!
