Irish Tea Cake Fruit (Printable)
A subtly sweet loaf infused with tea and packed with mixed dried fruit for a flavorful treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dried Fruit
01 - 7 oz mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped dried apricots)
02 - 1 cup strong black tea (hot)
→ Cake Batter
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
06 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
08 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - Pinch of salt
11 - Zest of 1 orange (optional)
→ For Serving
12 - Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
13 - Butter, to serve (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine the dried fruit and hot black tea in a bowl. Cover and let soak for at least 1 hour, or overnight for optimal results, until the fruit has plumped up.
02 - Preheat the oven to 340°F. Grease a 2 lb loaf tin and line it with parchment paper.
03 - Whisk together the sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
04 - Add the soaked fruit along with any remaining tea liquid to the wet mixture. Stir until evenly distributed.
05 - Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into the bowl. Add orange zest if using. Gently fold until just combined—avoid overmixing.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Slice and serve plain or with butter.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tea soaked fruit becomes impossibly tender and almost jewellike throughout the cake
- It keeps beautifully for days so you can enjoy a slice with morning coffee all week long
02 -
- Overmixing the batter makes the cake tough so stop as soon as the flour disappears
- Letting the fruit soak overnight completely changes the texture making it incredibly moist
03 -
- If the top browns too quickly tent it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking
- Wrap the cooled cake tightly and it will stay fresh for up to five days on the counter