This is a plant based version of the english tea loaf, which is a delicious moist, sweet bread with tea soaked dried fruits. It is traditionally served with a spread of butter and is part of afternoon tea. The tea loaf is served in tearooms and hotels that serve traditional afternoon tea. It is mainly associated with Yorkshire.
It sounds a bit odd to use tea in a cake, however, this type of bread (its more like cake) dates back to wartime days when butter and other dairy products were scarce and other pantry ingredients were used. This plant based version is probably more how they would have made it, self raising flour
Another aspect of this tea loaf is the lack of fat in the recipe which has the consequence of improved keeping qualities and the flavour is considered to improve with time. The cake is moist due to the dried fruits being soaked over night in tea.
This recipe makes enough for 2 – 2lb loaf tins
Begin by making 400 ml of Yorkshire tea (boiling water with 4 tea bags and leave them in and pour into a bowl with the 250gm sultanas and 250gm raisins. give them a quick stir and make sure they are covered in the tea. cover with cling film and leave to soak overnight or at least 5 hours.
In the morning
Pre heat the oven to 170C
In a large mixing bowl sift 300 gm of self raising flour into it.
Add 160 gm of soft brown sugar to the bowl
Add 2 tsp of mixed spice and pinch of salt to the bowl
Add tsp of baking powder to the bowl.
Remove the tea bags from the fruit mixture, which should have some liquid still.
Throughly mix the dry ingredients.
Now scoop the dried fruit mixture out of the liquid and put into the flour and slowly add the liquid (removed the tea bags?) into the dry ingredients and stir until a uniformed, fruity, tea infused batter is made, it should be sticky but not runny.
Stir in a teaspoon of cider vinegar (it won’t taste but will react with the bicarb to help it rise)
Line two, 2 pound loaf tins with either a paper loaf liner or some grease proof paper.
Pour the batter into the loaf tins and smooth over. there should be room for the batter to rise.
Gently place the loaf tin in the oven for 45-50 mins, check after 30 mins to make sure its not browning to quickly on top. If it is, loosely cover with tin foil and continue to bake, Use a cocktail stick or metal skewer to insert into the cake and if it comes out clean its cooked, and if there’s cake stuck to it, its means still needs cooking and then check with skewer every 5 mins.
Once cooked, take out and allow to completely cool on a cake rack.
Serve cold and sliced with the optional lashings of butter.
make tea 
soak dried fruits over night in the tea 
dried fruit plump next day 
mix dry ingredients 
add the fruit and slowly add the liquid and ACV 
put into 2 tins and bake 
allow to cool 
ready to eat
English Tea Loaf
Equipment
- 2 x 2 pound loaf tins
- 2 x mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 4 tea bag
- 400 ml boiling water
- 300 gm self raising flour
- 160 gm soft brown sugar
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 250 gm raisins
- 250 gm sultanas
Method
- This recipe makes enough for 2 x 2lb loaf tins
- Begin by making 500 ml of Yorkshire tea (boiling water with 4 tea bags and leave them in and pour into a bowl with the 250gm sultanas and 250gm raisins. give them a quick stir and make sure they are covered in the tea. cover with cling film and leave to soak overnight or at least 5 hours.
- In the morning – Pre heat the oven to 170C
- In a large mixing bowl sift 300 gm of self raising flour into it.
- Add 160 gm of soft brown sugar, mixed spice, baking powder and pinch of salt to the bowl
- Remove the tea bags from the fruit mixture, which should have some liquid still,
- Throughly mix the dry ingredients.
- Now scoop the dried fruit mixture out of the liquid and put into the flour and slowly while stirring add the liquid (removed the tea bags?) into the dry ingredients until a uniformed, fruity, tea infused batter is made, it should be loose but not runny.
- Stir in a teaspoon of cider vinegar (it won't taste but will react with the baking powder to help it rise)
- Line two, 2 pound loaf tins with either a paper loaf liner or some grease proof paper.
- Pour the batter into the loaf tins and smooth over. there should be room for the batter to rise.
- Gently place the loaf tin in the oven for 45-50 mins, check after 30 mins to make sure its not browning to quickly on top. If it is, loosely cover with tin foil and continue to bake, Use a cocktail stick or metal skewer to insert into the cake and if it comes out clean its cooked, and if there's cake stuck to it, its means still needs cooking and then check with skewer every 5 mins.
- Once cooked, take out and allow to completely cool on a cake rack.
- Serve cold and sliced with the optional lashings of butter
Nutrition
(All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more).