INGREDIENTS
- ▢380 g dried mixed fruit Fairtrade available
- ▢50 g golden caster sugar Fairtrade available
- ▢1 egg large, beaten, organic available
- ▢225 g self-raising flour Self-Rising (US) organic available
- ▢150 ml hot tea traditional black tea, Fairtrade available
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the dried mixed fruit & sugar in a large bowl and pour over the hot tea. Give it a quick stir to dissolve the sugar, cover it with a plate, and leave overnight.380 g dried mixed fruit,50 g golden caster sugar,150 ml hot tea
- Pre-heat the oven to 170°C/340°F/gas mark 3. Add the beaten egg and sieve in the flour. Fold the mixture together with a spoon until it is all mixed in.1 egg,225 g self-raising flour
- Transfer the mixture to a standard 2lb loaf tin, lined with a standard 2lb loaf tin liner. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes. To test if it’s ready, insert a fork into the middle of the cake, if the fork is clean – ie no mixture is stuck to it, it is cooked through. You may need an extra 5 minutes.
- Leave it on a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices to serve. It’s also lovely spread with butter.
NOTES
Varying the recipe
This is a perfect Everyday Fruit Cake but it’s easy to add some additional flavours. Make sure to keep the overall weight of dried fruit etc to 380g / 13oz or your tea loaf will not be moist.
- Spices – add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or All Spice
- Deluxe – add some finely chopped nuts or glace cherries. You don’t need to soak the nuts or cherries overnight, just add them along with the eggs and flour
- Orange zest– add the zest of one orange to the fruit and tea mixture
- Dried Cranberries – add a slightly tart flavour
Storage
A Tea Loaf will keep very well stored in an airtight container in your cupboard for about 2-3 weeks. If it starts to go a little dry, you can spread it with butter. It also freezes well. To freeze it, wrap it up well to prevent freezer burn. It will keep for about 6 months. De-frost your tea loaf at room temperature for about 4 hours.
NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories: 168kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 9mgPotassium: 244mgFiber: 4gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 23IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg
