A circular and level portion of dough that has been made to rise by incorporating air into it, typically with a diameter not surpassing three inches, filled with small dried grapes, sugar-coated citrus rind, aromatic ingredients, sweet nectar derived from bees, and typically marked by making two cuts in a diagonal direction on its upper part just before being heated. The first recorded mention of Banbury Cakes in literature is attributed to Ben Jonson in the year 1608, and it seems that they reached the height of their popularity during the middle of the eighteenth century.
A flattened, oval-shaped cake that traces its origins back to Banbury, Oxfordshire in England, is typically crafted from flaky pastry that has been filled with dried fruits.