Packed full of tea-soaked fruit, this tea loaf is beautifully rich and moist.
I love to serve mine spread with a little salted butter and a nice cup of tea.
It keeps really well and makes a great gift too.
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Can you believe that I when I was younger, I didn’t like tea bread.
Was I insane?
All of those raisins seemed to be taking the place of some more deserving chocolate or jam.
I really didn’t know what I was missing out on.
Nowadays, I can’t get enough of a lovely rich slice of tea bread, served with a strong cup of builders tea.
Chris is obsessed with the stuff. If we go to a farm shop or market and he spots tea bread, he’s paid for it before I even open my mouth. So I know I’m always going to have a happy husband when I make it at home!
The sultanas and raisins are soaked overnight in the tea – which really plumps them up. The whole bowlful – including the leftover soaking liquor is added to the mix.
📋 What do we need?
🔪 How to make this tea bread recipe
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- First we need to soak the raisins and sultanas overnight in tea. This helps them to plump up, so you get a wonderful moist cake with lots of flavour.
- Then we mix the dry ingredients together – the flour, baking powder, brown sugar and mixed spice.
- Next in goes melted butter, eggs and the soaked fruit (including any liquid left in the bowl).
- Mix it all together, transfer to a loaf tin and bake for about 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours, until cooked through.
👩🍳PRO TIP You can check the cake is cooked all the way through by inserting a skewer into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If it still has wet cake mixture on, place back in the oven for 10 minute increments, until done. If the cake starts to look like it’s going to get too brown on top, then top it with foil to stop it browning further.
Once it’s cooked, cool it on a wire rack, then slice.
You can serve it as is, or spread with a little butter and serve with a nice cup of tea!
Any leftover cake can be wrapped in a layer of parchment, then a layer of foil. It should keep well for a week at room temperature.
🍲 More fantastic fruity cakes
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Moist and Fruity Tea Loaf
Ingredients
- 150 g (3/4 cup) sultanas
- 150 g (3/4 cup) raisins
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) freshly made tea using 2 tea bags
- 250 g (2 cups + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 200 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 2 tbsp (30g/1 oz) unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Place the sultanas and raisins in a bowl and pour over the hot tea. Cover and allow to soak up the liquid overnight.150 g (3/4 cup) sultanas, 150 g (3/4 cup) raisins, 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) freshly made tea
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F (fan). Line a 2 lbs loaf tin with baking parchment or a loaf tin liner.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and mixed spice in a mixing bowl and stir together.250 g (2 cups + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 200 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) soft light brown sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice
- Mix in the melted butter and eggs – using a wooden spoon or spatula.2 tbsp (30g/1 oz) unsalted butter, 2 large eggs
- Add in the raisins, sultanas and any liquid left in the bowl.
- Stir together until everything is thoroughly combined. It will be a very wet mixture.
- Spoon the mixture into the lined loaf tin, place in the oven and bake for 1 hour – to 1 hour 15 minutes. You'll know it's done when an inserted skewer comes out clean. If you find that the top of the tea bread is starting to look too dark whilst it's in the oven, you can cover it will foil.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then remove from the tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was first posted in May 2015. Updated in June 2021 with new photos, video and a bit of housekeeping.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Great tea loaf. I made it using left over mixed fruit topped up with sultanas to make the required weight.
The weather here in Australia is warm /hot in summer so I slice the loaf and freeze some so that we always have some fresh.
I’m going to try the fruit soda bread next.
delicious! will definitely make this again. Added some walnut and it took this next level!
It was really lovely and my husband and I had the last two pieces with custard …….delicious
Thank you
Yum!! This is the best fruit loaf I have tasted, never mind baked. And so easy for a moderate home cook but generally not a baker.
I adapted the recipe a bit to fit my needs. I switched out the brown sugar for coconut sugar and a dollop of blackstrap molasses. Only had rooibos on hand instead of black tea. I upped the dried fruits to 350 grams but kept the tea liquid amount the same. I used dashes of nutmeg, cardamom, coriander, clove, dried ginger and lots of cinnamon as my mixed spices. I also spread a thin layer of apricot preserves on top as soon as it came out of the oven. I’ve never had tea loaf before so I don’t have anything to compare it to but myself and my husband thoroughly enjoyed it. This is going in the books. Thank you.
I used pumpkin spice as the spice. Then a mixture of raisins, dried cranberries, dates and figs. I cut the sugar in half because the fruit is very sweet. It’s delicious.
Made one loaf last week.
Just about to soak fruit for two loaves.
I used mixed fruit and it tasted great.
Thanks for the recipe.
I wish you would give weights of ingredients in grams instead of cups!
Hi Pauline, I include both cups and grams.
This is by far the best recipe I’ve used. I use earl grey tea which gives it a wonderful taste and flavour.
It’s a lovely moist tea bread and keeps well.
I have been looking for a straight forward Fruit Tea Cake for ages.
Reading the ingredients, my mouth was watering!!
This is just what I need.
Fruit is now soaking, I shall bake tomorrow ready for the weekend.