King Alfred's cake

English

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Etymology

From the resemblance of the round, black fungus to the burned cakes in a legend according to which King Alfred, hiding out in a countryside homestead during war, was put in charge of some baking cakes and accidentally let them burn.

Noun

King Alfred 's cake (uncountable)

A fungus of species Daldinia concentrica.
Synonyms: cramp balls, coal fungus

References

King Alfred's cake on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Daldinia concentrica on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
Daldinia concentrica on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons