Easy British Tea Loaf with Dried Fruit
This easy British tea loaf recipe features plump, tea-soaked dried fruit and vibrant apricots. A classic afternoon tea bread that is perfectly moist and sliceable.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (236 ml) strong black tea (or Earl Grey) hot
- 1 ¼ cups (226 grams) mixed dried fruit raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped dried apricots for color
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup (32 grams) unsalted butter softened plus more for greasing
- ⅓ cup (66 grams) brown sugar
- 2 large large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 cup (150 grams) all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
Soak the Fruit:
- Pour the hot tea over the dried fruit and orange zest in a bowl. Cover and allow to soak for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until the fruit is plump. Then remove the tea bags.
Prep the Oven and Pan:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) with the rack in the center. Grease a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan with a little butter and line it with parchment paper.
Mix the Wet Ingredients:
- To a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the orange juice.
Combine:
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and optional spices together in a small bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until just combined.
Fold in the Fruit:
- Gently fold in the soaked fruit, along with any remaining tea that hasn't been fully absorbed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the tea loaf to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 406mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 30g