Tweedies a.k.a. Tweed Squares
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Tweed Squares a.k.a. "Tweedies." Vanilla cake with flecks of grated chocolate baked in, topped with vanilla frosting and finished with a layer of chocolate. A Newfoundland favourite.
Tweed Squares. Today's cookie recipe is more like a delicious little tea cake and is a very old family recipe.
Tweed Squares or Tweedies as we always called them, were a childhood favorite of mine. It seemed every Newfoundland baker I knew when I was growing up baked them.
Unsweetened chocolate in one ounce blocks are used in this recipe but if you have semisweet on hand that's okay too.
The chocolate flecked cake is quite moist and pairs well with the creamy vanilla frosting and crowning chocolate.
We always made and froze these during our annual Holiday baking marathon. I was always the first one to scoop one off of any cookie tray I found them on.
2017 Update.
Since I first posted this recipe several years ago it has continued to grow in popularity. I have has people from all across the country write to thank me for this nostalgic reminder of childhood for them in Newfoundland.
One of the best things about writing this blog is the wonderful stories and memories many readers share about old fashioned recipes like this one.
Many have reclaimed this recipe into their family as a result of finding it here, preserving part of their own family's baking story.
That is the just the best thing about writing this blog.
We have a whole collection of cookies that I remember from growing up in Newfoundland in the 70's and earlier, particularly at the Christmas season. Be sure to check out all of those as well here: Classic Newfoundland Cookie Collection.
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Tweedies a.k.a. Tweed Squares
Tweed Squares a.k.a. "Tweedies" - vanilla cake with flecks of grated chocolate baked in, topped with vanilla frosting and finished with a layer of chocolate. A Newfoundland favourite.
Ingredients
For the cake base
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks, reserve whites
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ounce dark chocolate, finely grated.
For the Vanilla Frosting
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 ½ cups icing sugar, powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a little milk
For the Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
To prepare the Cake Base
- Grease and flour a 9x9 inch baking pan well or line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside
- Cream together the butter and sugar well. Add the egg yolks and beat until creamy.
- Fold in the flour alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Do mot over mix.
- Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold them into the cake batter. When the egg whites are almost incorporated fold in the grated chocolate.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 -25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake the cake portion. Cool completely on a wire rack. Top with vanilla frosting.
To prepare the Vanilla Frosting
- Cream together the butter icing sugar and vanilla.
- You may add a little milk a teaspoon at a time, if the frosting seems too stiff to be spreadable but the frosting should be quite a thick consistency; much thicker than cake frosting.
- Spread evenly on the baked cake base and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before adding the chocolate topping.
To prepare the Chocolate Topping
- Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat or in a double boiler.
- Cool to lukewarm and spread quickly over the chilled frosting. Let the chocolate set before cutting into squares or bars and serving.
Notes
For a thinner cake base, try being this recipe in a 9x13 pan and adding 1 ½ times the recipe for the filling and topping.
If your cake domes too much in the px13 pan, you can always cut a little off the top horizontally with a serrated knife before adding the frosting layer.
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
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Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
24 squaresAmount Per Serving Calories 197Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 6gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 37mgSodium 122mgCarbohydrates 25gSugar 18gProtein 1g
I made these and they are just yummy!
MMMMMMM use to make tweed squares years ago ,,always a favorite
Making them rite now!
Never had them, but I am going to have to make them! The problem with your recipes is I want to make all of them and if I do AND eat them, in about 3.mths I will weigh 300 lbs! Oh, my!
WOW!! My grandmother was born and raised on the rock. She moved to Halifax in 1946. She used to make these at Christmas time. I used to have the recipe somewhere but it has gone missing. Imagine my surprise to find the recipe online exactly as I remember, with a picture no less. Thanks so much.
Can you freeze these?
Sure can.
What kind of chocolate chips do you use for the chocolate on top and how long should it take to melt and cool?
I always use dark chocolate because I like them. Take it just to the melting point. or let it cool to lukewarm. The icing should already be well chilled.
When we lived in Cape Breton, my mom would often bake these 'Tweedies". That was in the 1960's. I have been longing for them for years now and will try this recipe. Nothing close comes to the taste of these delicious squares.
Thank you for the recipe and photos. They bring back fond memories.
Thank you so much for posting this!! My mother has the recipe, but it's one of those "back in the day" hand written recipe cards that just had a list of ingredients with no instructions hahahaha. I love these so much....
Does the milk go in with the butter sugar and egg yolks?
That is not in the instructions. Please read them again for clarity.
Hi! Could I double the recipe? And how do you recommend I freeze these & for how long? Thank you!
I have made 2 pans . I freeze them in airtight plastic containers for up to 6-8 weeks.
Hi, just made these, the batter was a bit thick, almost like a bread batter until I added the egg whites, is this how they should be
It is a relatively thick batter.
Hi Barry. Do you use fresh milk or tin Carnation milk in making Tweedies?
Either is fine.
I’m so excited to find this recipe. My Nan used to make these when I was a kid. I loved putting a piece in the microwave so the chocolate and frosting melted a bit. I can’t wait to make them for myself.
Thank you for posting this recipe. My Mom was known for her cookies and this was always on the list for Christmas baking. She passed away 2 years ago and I think this one will be on the list this year in her honour.