[Barrie Yates]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Historically sultanas were not used in sad cakes.......it was always currants.
And the pastry was off cuts which had been rolled many times so it wasn't as 'short' as Chorley cakes.
Extra rolling makes the pastry tough.....edible but tough.
Chorley cakes tend to be small individual size, but true sad cake is about the size of a dinner plate.
I have been known to use mixed fruit or sultanas when I have made sad cakes....and I have never made pastry just to make sad cakes it has always been off cuts.

That is exactly as I remembered, Chorley and Eccles cakes were much smaller - 3" or so diameter, but sadcake was dinner plate size. I also suffered with a smile as I ate the efforts of 3 sons but that proved to be a worthwhile sacrifice as they are all very competent cooks now.