East Anglian Tea Bread

Name: East Anglian Tea Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: East Anglian
Ingredients: 350 g mixed dried fruit; 175 g dark brown soft sugar; 300 ml strong hot black tea; 1 large egg; 250 g self-raising flour; 1 tsp mixed spice; 1 tsp orange zest; 0.25 tsp Fine sea salt; 50 g salted butter

A dark, moist fruit loaf made by soaking plump dried fruit in rich black tea. Slice thick and spread generously with salted farmhouse butter.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· East of England

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 65 min
Total: 80 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 245 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

350 g mixed dried fruit — raisins, sultanas, and currants
175 g dark brown soft sugar — or light muscovado sugar
300 ml strong hot black tea — freshly brewed with 2 tea bags
1 large egg — beaten at room temperature
250 g self-raising flour — sifted
1 tsp mixed spice — ground British blend
1 tsp orange zest — finely grated
¼ tsp Fine sea salt — a small pinch
50 g salted butter — for serving

Equipment

•900g (2 lb) loaf tin
•Greaseproof paper
•Large mixing bowl
•Wooden spoon
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 245 kcal
fat: 1 g
carbs: 56 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 245 kcal

Instructions

1
Put the mixed dried fruit and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl.
2
Pour the hot, freshly brewed tea over the fruit and sugar mixture.
3
Stir well, cover the bowl with a tea towel, and leave to soak for at least four hours or overnight.
4
Preheat your fan oven to 150°C (170°C conventional) and line a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
5
Add the beaten egg and grated orange zest to the cooled, plump fruit mixture.
6
Stir in the sifted self-raising flour, mixed spice, and salt until evenly combined into a thick batter.
7
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top with the back of a spoon.
8
Bake on the middle shelf for 60 to 70 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9
Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
10
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Chef's tips

For the best texture and depth of flavour, allow the dried fruit to soak overnight so it absorbs all the tea. If the top browns too quickly while baking, cover the tin loosely with foil for the final 20 minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

self-raising flour → 250g plain flour with 2 tsp baking powder
English Breakfast tea → Earl Grey tea for a subtle bergamot aroma

Storage

Wrap tightly in greaseproof paper and foil; store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to one week.

Reheating

Enjoy cold at room temperature, or toast thick slices lightly under a medium grill for two minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Rushing the fruit soaking time, which results in a dry, dense loaf
•Slicing the tea bread while still hot, causing the crumb to crumble
•Baking at too high an oven temperature, burning the fruit on the crust before the centre sets

Serving suggestions

Slice thickly and spread with cool, salted farmhouse butterServe alongside a pot of hot black tea for an authentic afternoon treatTop a buttered slice with a wedge of sharp mature Cheddar cheese