Yorkshire Tea Loaf

Name: Yorkshire Tea Loaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Yorkshire
Ingredients: 300 g mixed dried fruit; 300 ml strong hot black tea; 175 g soft dark brown sugar; 1 item large egg; 225 g self-raising flour; 1 tsp mixed spice; 1 item orange; 0.25 tsp Fine sea salt; 40 g salted butter

A classic, moist Yorkshire fruit loaf packed with tea-plumped sultanas and raisins, delicious sliced thick and spread with salted butter.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· Yorkshire and the Humber

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 65 min
Total: 80 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 265 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

300 g mixed dried fruit — sultanas, raisins, and currants
300 ml strong hot black tea — freshly brewed with 2 tea bags
175 g soft dark brown sugar — for rich caramel flavour
1 item large egg — beaten
225 g self-raising flour — sifted
1 tsp mixed spice — ground British sweet spice blend
1 item orange — finely grated zest only
¼ tsp Fine sea salt — a small pinch
40 g salted butter — softened, to serve

Equipment

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

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 265 kcal
fat: 2 g
carbs: 58 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 265 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the mixed dried fruit into a large mixing bowl.
2
Pour the hot, freshly brewed black tea over the fruit.
3
Stir in the soft dark brown sugar until completely dissolved.
4
Cover the bowl and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
5
Preheat your fan oven to 150°C and line a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
6
Stir the beaten egg, orange zest, mixed spice, and salt into the soaked fruit.
7
Sift the self-raising flour into the bowl.
8
Fold gently with a wooden spoon until no dry flour patches remain.
9
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top.
10
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
11
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
12
Slice thickly and serve with a generous spread of salted butter.

Chef's tips

For the best flavour, use a robust Yorkshire tea blend and soak the fruit for at least 12 hours. If the top of the loaf browns too quickly in the oven, cover it loosely with a sheet of foil after 40 minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

soft dark brown sugar → light brown soft sugar or muscovado sugar
self-raising flour → 225g plain flour plus 1.5 tsp baking powder

Storage

Store in an airtight container or wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to five days.

Reheating

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

Common mistakes to avoid

•Rushing the soaking time, which leaves the dried fruit tough and dry
•Overmixing the batter after adding flour, resulting in a dense and heavy loaf
•Baking at too high a temperature, which burns the sugary exterior before the centre cooks

Serving suggestions

Serve sliced thickly with cold salted farmhouse butterPair with a sharp slice of Yorkshire Wensleydale cheeseEnjoy alongside a freshly brewed pot of strong black tea