VegetarianEast Midlands English cuisine Baking

Lincolnshire Plum Bread

Name: Lincolnshire Plum Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: East Midlands English
Ingredients: 350 g dried mixed fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants); 250 ml hot strong black tea; 150 g dark brown soft sugar; 1 item Egg; 50 g Unsalted butter; 2 tbsp Whole milk; 250 g self-raising flour; 2 tsp ground mixed spice; 150 g lincolnshire poacher cheese

A classic spiced English fruit loaf packed with tea-soaked sultanas and raisins, served sliced with salted butter and sharp Lincolnshire cheese.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· East Midlands

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 65 min
Total: 85 min
Servings: 10
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 285 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

350 g dried mixed fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants) — rinsed
250 ml hot strong black tea — freshly brewed
150 g dark brown soft sugar — light brown sugar also works
1 item Egg — large, beaten
50 g Unsalted butter — melted, plus extra for greasing
2 tbsp Whole milk — room temperature
250 g self-raising flour — sifted
2 tsp ground mixed spice — traditional British spice blend
150 g lincolnshire poacher cheese — sliced, to serve

Equipment

•900g (2lb) loaf tin
•mixing bowl
•wire cooling rack
•greaseproof paper
•wooden spoon

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 285 kcal
fat: 7 g
carbs: 52 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 6 g
calories: 285 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the mixed dried fruit and dark brown sugar in a large bowl.
2
Pour the hot black tea over the fruit and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3
Cover the bowl and leave to steep (soak in liquid) for at least four hours or overnight.
4
Heat your fan oven to 150°C and grease a 900g loaf tin with butter.
5
Line the base and sides of the tin with greaseproof paper.
6
Stir the beaten egg, melted butter, and milk into the soaked fruit mixture.
7
Sift the self-raising flour and ground mixed spice into the bowl.
8
Fold the dry ingredients gently into the wet mixture until no flour streaks remain.
9
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top evenly.
10
Bake in the centre of the oven for 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
11
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef's tips

Soak the fruit overnight so it absorbs maximum moisture and plumps up nicely. Wrapping the cooled loaf in greaseproof paper and foil for 24 hours before slicing improves both flavour and texture.

Ingredient substitutions

Lincolnshire Poacher cheese → mature English Cheddar
ground mixed spice → equal parts ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice

Storage

Wrap tightly in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to seven days.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature or toast thick slices lightly under a medium grill before spreading with butter.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Rushing the fruit soaking, which leaves the raisins dry and reduces overall loaf moisture.
•Baking at too high a heat, which burns the sugary crust before the middle bakes through.

Serving suggestions

Slice thickly, spread with salted butter, and top with a slice of Lincolnshire Poacher cheese.Serve alongside a freshly brewed pot of Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea.