tea cake

peanut butter flapjacks have been keeping me on the new year fit-&-healthy straight-&-narrow track of moderation and healthy snacks. however, i am in need of a change. a friend made a tea cake the other week, using this recipe, which looked wonderful, so i decided to give it a  try.

the fruit (i just used raisins) is soaked in tea (i used a mix of earl grey with rose and black tea with orange blossom which made it slightly perfumed) and held together by a lightly spiced cake mix. i deviated from the original recipe with the addition of lemon zest and candied peel.

the result is delicious – a not-too-sweet loaf which tastes delicious (the citrus tang is lovely) and is fairly healthy. i sliced and wrapped the cooled loaf, ready for adding to daily packed lunches.

tea cake (for a 3.5” by 7.5” tin, measurements from the base)

250ml boiling water

2 teabags

275g raisins of other dried fruit

125g moist brown sugar (i used a mix of dark and light muscovado)

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons of mixed peel

zest of half a lemon

½ a teaspoons of mixed spice

175g self raising flour

brew the tea using the boiling water – leave until it is strong and then remove the tea bags. add this to the dried fruit and leave to soak for a minimum of 2 h but preferably much longer(i left mine overnight).

heat the oven to 175°c and line a 3.5” by 7.5” tin (measurements from the base) with greaseproof paper.

combine the fruit and tea mix with the sugar, egg, mixed peel, lemon zest and mixed spice. add the self raising flour then place the mixture into the tin.

bake for 45-60 minutes - it is ready when a skewer pushed into the centre of the  cake comes out clean. remove the cake from the tin & allow it to cool.