Cakes in cafes in older books

This is indeed a lovely thread. I feel as if I'm in a novel by Barbara Pym. Health and Safety came in in the 70s I think so we just got germs in the 50s.
Complete afternoon tea has become very fashionable again. The White Hart in a nearby town did a very good one about 3 years ago, with tiny sandwiches and scone and several small tiny cakes, and a little glass of mousse. I know another place which does very good food but their afternoon tea consists of normal-sized sandwiches and a scone and just one large slice of their usual cakes, so it's not quite right.

Mmmm, caraway seed in soda bread - I never met that before. I'll see if I have some seeds.

I had never heard of Kunzle cakes, so I've googled them - and now I would really like one!!

In Ireland in the 80s my granny used to serve high tea which was cheese, ham, bread and butter, pickles and then fruit cake which was often buttered too, crumpets, and other cakes with tea or coffee.

Certainly intriguing perspectives

But for northerners the evening meal thus described is just 'tea' - there is no need to qualify with the word 'high'.

In the Enid Blyton southern English world, there is because only the children ate tea, at about 5 pm whereas the grown-ups who would have had afternoon tea, would have dinner at about 7 pm - and no doubt change into evening dress.

Kunzle Cakes and Showboats - I loved those - they were a huge treat.

I remember going out with my mum and granny and being brought a stand with various cakes to choose from.

I remember "High Tea" when we were on holiday in Scotland. I wasn't a big eater and forever being nagged about my appetite but "High Tea" - something on toast and cake - was perfect.

Sorry, I haven't read through all as I'm pressed for time.

Captain, you are right that some people are confusing high tea with afternoon tea nowadays. I heard someone do it a few days ago.

As I'm in my 70s I remember going for eats with my aunts. If you asked for cakes you would get the three-tier plate brought over and you might choose a cake and then the plate was taken away, but I think sometimes it would be left on the table and you could take as many as you wanted and then be charged for how many had gone. If you touched every single one or coughed near them, no-one thought much about it.
Now I am going to write two words which some people might remember:- Kunzle Cakes.

I'm another one who learnt the difference between afternoon tea (dainty morsels eaten in a ladylike fashion) and high tea (hearty fare like slices of pie and hot buttered crumpets followed by slabs of cake) via Ms. Blyton. Those farmhouse high teas always sounded so delectable.

I never liked seed cake but I don't think I've seen it since the 70s. I only use caraway seeds in goulash.

So delighted by the stories containing seedcake I made one myself and absolutely hated it. Gutted. Now tempted to try again though...

Seed cake makes me think of the Whit Monday Tea we would have in the chapel vestry after the Whit Monday Walk along the sea front.
Fish paste sandwiches and Angel cake featured geavily too.

I remember the cake stand loaded with scones and eclairs in cafes too - my grandmother would always let me gave the eclair.

What a brilliant thread! I think caraway seed cake is delicious when it's fresh, much more subtle and interesting flavour than these super sweet muffins etc

I want an afternoon tea now, with sandwiches and cakes on a 3 tier stand.

Yes, @CaptainMyCaptain. I remember as a child being intrigued by this being a big distinction in Enid Blyton’s Six Cousins at Mistletoe Farm between the spoilt, effete ‘townie’ cousins (who ate tiny sandwiches and thin slices of cake with their mother at 4 o’clock) and the farming cousins we’re clearly meant to admire more, who eat a hearty meal together with their farmer father and mother at six, that includes hot food and lots of meat, as well as thick bread and butter and fruit cake and apple tart.

We know the townie cousin Melisande is beginning to integrate when she starts horsing into high tea.

High tea in my 60s-70s childhood was a very light cooked meal like eggs or beans on toast, or tinned salmon with tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce. This was served with bread and butter and maybe a slice of ginger cake or a plate of flapjacks.

When I was a child back in the 70's we used to go a café where they brought around a trolley with cakes and buns. They turned a handle to make them revolve upwards and then you made your choice. It used to be such a treat.

It's afternoon tea basically, you get a tiered plate with lots of small cakes, probably about 1/4 of the size or smaller of the monstrosities you get these days and much more delicious. Or, if you really want to step back in time it's the high tea that featured so regularly in Enid Blyton and my (northern Scotland) childhood. A standard main course followed by a selection of home bakes.

I had a tiered plate of cakes and sandwiches at Fountains Abbey a few years ago. Like stepping back in time… 🙂

I used to make a seed cake with lemon in it. I can also remember the three tiered cake stands in cake shops - probably during the 70s.

I remember cakes being brought on a trolley to pick, maybe that? Or else seeing the cake display and encouraging each other to have one? And I have been to houses that would entertain you to afternoon tea and have a few cakes on offer.
But I agree it sounds lovely, and wish my friends had time to indulge with me!