The main ingredients are dripping, flour, brown sugar, spices, currants and raisins.
Variations of dripping cake can be found in Wales, and in parts of England including Gloucestershire and Yorkshire.
[2] It can be confused with the lardy cake, which is very similar apart from the principal ingredient being lard instead of beef dripping.
As dripping is left over from cooking a joint of meat, it is economical and filling, and has long been a popular snack with schoolchildren.
[3] Dripping cakes are very rich and sweet, and despite contemporary concerns about high-calorie, high-fat foods, are still popular.