This week’s Cakes & Bakes features a traditional Yorkshire tea loaf – packed with fruit. We often sit down for a break at about four in the afternoon – and absolutely love this kind of thing as an accompaniment to our brew. Sweet, sticky and full of good things to give you a mid-afternoon energy boost.
There’s a very simple list of ingredients.
It’s vital that you soak the dried fruit in tea overnight – it makes a big difference to the end result, so don’t be tempted to skip this stage!
It’s everything in one bowl method.
Preparation is easy, so you can’t go wrong!
The loaf keeps well for up to 2 weeks, but it probably won’t hang around that long though.
It’s delicious served on its own or with a thin scrape of butter (thick scrape in Justin’s case).
Even just looking at it in pictures, we’re tempted to get the kettle on!!
Click here to pin the recipe for later!
Yorkshire tea loaf
Ingredients
- 350 g mixed dried fruit currants, sultanas, raisins, mixed peel. Try adding a tbsp of crystallised ginger
- 350 ml strong tea brewed for 3-4 mins
- 2 eggs
- 200 g brown soft sugar
- 270 g self raising flour
Instructions
- Brew a large, strong mug of tea (we usually use loose Yorkshire tea... of course! But any strong breakfast or afternoon tea will do!)
- Put the mixed dried fruit into a medium mixing bowl
- Allow the tea to brew and cool slightly before pouring it into the mixing bowl (it should just about cover all the fruit
- Cover with cling film/Saran wrap for a few hours, ideally overnight, to allow the tea to plump up the fruit
- In the morning, preheat the oven to 170ºC/340ºF/Gas mark 4
- Grease 2 x 450g/1lb loaf tins (or 1 x 900g/2lb loaf tin)
- In a measuring jug, lightly beat the eggs before adding them to the mixed fruit and any un-soaked liquid
- Add the sugar and combine well
- Pour evenly into the loaf tins and bake for 40-50 mins or until an inserted skewer comes away clean. If you're using a 900g tin, baking will take about 60-75 mins
- Leave the loaves in their tins to cool completely before turning them out
- They'll keep for a couple of weeks if wrapped in baking parchment and kept in a cool, airtight container