City bakers call for European protection for famous Dundee Cake

Bakers are set to reclaim the famous Dundee Cake by calling for European protected food name status.

Much like the Arbroath Smokies and Stornoway Black Pudding, the humble Dundee Cake’s delicate and unique flavour is, the bakers believe, best protected by the collective baking skills in the city and so the appeal is being launched.

City legend has it that the cake, a light fruit cake which traditionally contains candied peel and almonds, originated in Dundee as a by-product of the Keiller’s Marmalade industry, the famous and long established marmalade makers of the city. While making the marmalade they found there was extra citrus peel which was then used in the original recipe for Dundee Cake.

As its popularity continued to expand, bakers from across the country have produced the cake. As a result, the original concept and recipe has been adapted with the addition of different fruits and spices that detracts from the traditional Dundee method of combining mellowness and zesty, nutty mix.

At a meeting in City Square Martin Goodfellow, from Goodfellow & Steven, was joined by fellow local bakers, Sandy Milne, Fisher and Donaldson, Mark Robb, JM Bakery, and Iain Murray, The Baker Trade of Dundee, to try and protect the name status of the famous local delicacy.

Mr Goodfellow said: “Although the Dundee Cake is a product that is known nationally, it does not currently enjoy any geographical protection and is currently produced in a number of locations and to various quality levels throughout the UK. It is such a significant part of our heritage and it is important that the cake is rightfully associated with the city in which it originated.

“There are so many new and exciting things happening in Dundee such as the impending arrival of the new V&A centre of design and the £1bn waterfront development and it is equally important that we continue to hold on to historically important and popular products such as the Dundee Cake, which enhance the reputation of the city and we should be forever proud of.”

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