The sweet, flaky currant-filled pastry known as Eccles cake takes its name from Eccles, the town in northwest England where it originated. The town’s name derives through Celtic from the Latin ecclesia, meaning assembly or, in ecclesiastical Latin, church; in turn, the Latin ecclesia developed from the Greek ekkalein, meaning to call out, citizens having been called to meetings by someone shouting from a roof top or street corner. In time, these town criers were often replaced by bells, such as the ones rung on Sunday morning to rouse sinners from their beds.
This passage is describing a type of cake that is specific to the region of Lancashire. The preparation involves lining a muffin or patty pan with a luscious crust and filling it with a delicate layer of golden syrup, currants, shredded coconut, almonds, and other similar ingredients. Finally, the cake is topped with another crust to complete the process.