Tea Loaf
A dense, fruity loaf made by soaking mixed dried fruit in strong hot tea, sliced and spread with butter.
The Method for Tea Loaf
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Put the fruit and sugar in a bowl, pour over the hot tea and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
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Heat the oven to 160°C / 320°F and grease and line a 900 g loaf tin.
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Stir the egg into the soaked fruit, then fold in the flour and mixed spice until just combined.
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Pour into the tin and bake for 60 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out.
What Can Go Wrong
- Use strong tea.
- Do not worry that the batter looks loose.
- If your oven runs hot, check at 50 minutes.
- Slice thin and spread with butter.
Swaps and Variations
- No self-raising flour to hand? Use the same weight of plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150 g.
The Short Version
Salt, fat and eggs are the usual things a fruit cake needs, but this one asks for tea. The soak does what an overnight rest would, because hot tea plumps the dried fruit and carries its flavour into the loaf.
Pour 250 ml of strong hot tea over the fruit and sugar and leave it for 30 minutes. The fruit should swell and the liquid should turn syrupy. Use tea you would happily drink. Weak tea gives a washed-out loaf.
Stir in the egg, then fold in the flour and mixed spice until just combined. The batter is wet and looks too loose, which is correct.
Pour into a lined 900 g loaf tin and bake at 160°C for 60 minutes. If your oven runs hot, check at 50 minutes. A skewer should come out clean. Cool completely, wrap, and slice thinly with butter. Serve it cut into slices no thicker than a finger, spread with salted butter.
What to Serve It With
Salted butter · Hot tea · Mature cheddar · Apple slices
Storing Leftovers
Keeps wrapped in a tin for 5 days.
Quick Answers
How long does Tea Loaf take to make?
About 1 hour 15 minutes in total — 15 minutes of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe serves 10.
What are the key tips for making Tea Loaf?
Use strong tea. Do not worry that the batter looks loose. If your oven runs hot, check at 50 minutes. Slice thin and spread with butter.
What should I serve with Tea Loaf?
Salted butter; Hot tea; Mature cheddar; Apple slices.
How should Tea Loaf be stored?
Keeps wrapped in a tin for 5 days.
Is Tea Loaf suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Tea Loaf?
About 254 kcal per serving, with 4 g protein, 55 g carbohydrate and 2 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Tea Loaf Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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