This simple and not-too-sweet loaf bake requires no fancy equipment – just a little time to steep the dried fruit before a nice slow bake. It’s the perfect way to use up dried fruit that’s still in the cupboard after Christmas, and it’s delicious with some salty butter (try Meggy Moo’s award winning butter, churned from the milk from their herd in Shroton) and maybe a little jam (for a delicious local one try From Dorset With Love, or you could make your own using my recipe from last September’s BV. I’ve also been told it goes really well with some strong cheddar or a little blue cheese.
Ingredients
- 350g dried fruit (your choice of sultanas, currants, raisins etc)
- 300ml boiling water
- 3 tea bags (English breakfast or Earl Grey work well)
- 200g soft brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 275g self-raising flour
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 egg
- Some demerara sugar to sprinkle on top
Method
- Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for at least 10 minutes, then discard the tea bags.
- Pour the tea into a big bowl and mix in the soft brown sugar, cinnamon and the dried fruit. Stir well so the sugar dissolves and the fruit is covered. Leave for at least two hours (or overnight) for the fruit to soak up all those lovely flavours.
- Pre-heat the oven to 130º fan (gas 3). Line a 2lb loaf tin (10cm x 21cm, 7cm deep) with baking parchment or a loaf tin liner.
- Into the fruit and sugar mixture, mix the flour, lemon zest and the egg and stir until completely combined. Pour this mixture into the loaf tin and sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely (I have to admit to never waiting long enough before impatiently cutting a slice and smothering the still-warm cake with butter …)
