Allyson Gofton's Lemon Spiced Boston Bun

Allyson Gofton's Boston Bun from her book The Baker’s Companion. Photo: Lottie Hedley

Ingredients

1  cup cold mashed potato
¾   cup sugar
Grated rind of one lemon or orange
2 cups self-raising flour
¼  teaspoon salt
½  teaspoon mixed spice or cardamom or cinnamon
½  cup sultanas or currants
¼   cup milk
1  quantity vanilla Icing

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Set the rack in the centre, Grease a baking tray with baking paper.

In a bowl beat together the mashed potato, sugar and lemon or orange rind. Sift the flour, salt and spice evenly over the mashed potato mixture and stir to blend, adding sufficient dough to make a stiff dough. Shape into a bun and place on the tray.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until well risen and golden. Cool on a cake rack before covering generously with the vanilla icing and decorating with coconut if wished.

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 35 minutes

Serves 8

Variations

Cool Cranberry - omit the spice, use orange rind in place of lemon, dried cranberries for sultanas or currants and ice with pink coloured icing flavoured with raspberry essence.

Boston Blueberry and Almond - Use dried blueberries in place of sultanas or currants, add ½ cup flaked almonds and smother the top of the Boston Bun with additional flaked almonds and drizzle with a little honey or sift over a little icing sugar before baking.

This recipe features in Allyson's book The Baker's Companion