We have finally eaten all the Christmas biscuits and the cake tin was looking rather bare, so I had a flip through one of my recipe clipping folders and came across Mary's teatime cake, a recipe from the very talented and delightful Mary Berry and published in BBC Good Food magazine.
I've made this cake before and even blogged about it, but in case you missed it the last time I thought I'd give you another chance to enjoy the recipe. I have found it to be a remarkably good recipe, works if you soak the dried fruit overnight, but also works if you soak it for a couple of hours as I did. Mary suggests Earl Grey tea for soaking, but you can use any tea you like. You can also use any combination of dried fruit you like, I had a lot of dates, so half of my loaf is dates, the rest a mix of raisins, currants and mixed dried fruit.
350g/12oz mix dried fruit
225g/8oz soft light brown sugar
300ml/1/2 pt hot tea, made with two tea bags.
275g/10oz self-raising flour
zest of a lemon
1 large egg, beaten
1. Put the dried fruit and sugar in a bowl and pour over the hot tea.
2. Leave to soak overnight, or if you are in a hurry for two hours.
3. Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2
4. Line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking parchment or use a loaf tin liner
5. Add the flour, lemon zest and beaten egg and stir with a spoon till mixed through.
6. Bake for 11/4 to 11/2 hrs or until it is well risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
8. Peel of the baking paper or liner and serve sliced with or without butter
225g/8oz soft light brown sugar
300ml/1/2 pt hot tea, made with two tea bags.
275g/10oz self-raising flour
zest of a lemon
1 large egg, beaten
1. Put the dried fruit and sugar in a bowl and pour over the hot tea.
2. Leave to soak overnight, or if you are in a hurry for two hours.
3. Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2
4. Line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking parchment or use a loaf tin liner
5. Add the flour, lemon zest and beaten egg and stir with a spoon till mixed through.
6. Bake for 11/4 to 11/2 hrs or until it is well risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
8. Peel of the baking paper or liner and serve sliced with or without butter
I'm linking up to Bake of the Week at Casa Costello
And also to my own Recipe Clippings challenge, if you have made a recipe that you have clipped from a magazine, handwritten or printed out from the internet, you can link up here or on the linked post. Full details of the Recipe Clippings blog event
What a lovely cake - perfect for a treat with a morning coffee or an afternoon cup of tea.....or a bedtime mug of cocoa, not to mention the midnight munchies !!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is Jean.
DeleteOh I really need to join in with your linky - Makes all those files of recipes hanging around the house seem necessary! This cake is the sort of cake I dreamed of always having in the cupboard for when guests call - 3 children later, I now realise cake doesn't ever hang around that long! Thanks for joining in with #Bakeoftheweek
ReplyDeleteIt would be lovely to have you join me for #RecipeClippings Helen. My cakes last a lot longer now and sometimes I freeze some slices so I can quickly whip them out of the freezer and, at least, look like I always have cake in the house ;-)
DeleteWhat a LOVELY post and recipe Janice! I love recipes like this, as I must try to enter your clippings challenge this month too! Karen
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen, it would be lovely to have join me for #RecipeClippings. I'm sure you have plenty of them!
DeleteJanice, what a lovely loaf! I'd like a slice of it right this minute to go with the Earl Grey I'm drinking. I only recently saw Mary on TV for the first time (I'm in the US, plus I don't have cable, so I have to wait for shows to come out on Roku streaming) and she seemed soooo nice.
ReplyDeleteAw Mary is a lovely lady. I met her briefly at the BBC Good Food Show when she signed a couple of books for me. You should try the cake it's really good.
DeleteHi Janice, happy new year! Love the idea of recipe clippings, god knows I have enough of them! Great looking loaf - very solid and sustaining. Hope you're well and that spring doesn't feel too far away, Lucy
ReplyDeleteLovely to have you visit Lucy and looking forward to you joining in with some Recipe Clippings.
DeleteThis cake looks delicious . I love Mary Berry recipes they always turn out well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nanya, yes they do turn out well.
Deleteah finally a blog post about cakes after all the healthy recipes , one must treat oneself now and again hehhehe, I love your recipe challenge idea too Janice , I have a large collection of clippings !
ReplyDeleteAh well but it is low fat and full of fruit so almost healthy ;-)
DeleteThat looks really great, perfect for elevenses with a nice cuppa :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel, it's a great little cake and perfect with a cuppa
DeleteI do love these kinds of cake - just so satisfying with a cup of tea. I have to say I'm not a big fan of Mary Berry but everything of hers that I've cooked turns out brilliantly
ReplyDeleteHer recipes are pretty foolproof and my go to baking book is her Fast Cakes book.
DeleteOooh that looks so good. I love this kind of tea cake. My grandma used to bring somethingije this out after lunch on a Sunday and serve each slice slathered in butter!! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's definitely a grandma cake -oh yes and as I am a grandmother, very appropriate!
DeleteThat would be Mr Glam's favourite. He loves a fruit cake and this one sounds both delicious ad flexible. GG
ReplyDeleteMr Glam has good taste, it freezes well too, cut in slices for quick defrost.
DeleteLooks wonderful, perfect with a cup of tea mid-morning or mid-afternoon. I wish I could take a slice for work :-) x
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlene.
DeleteI love tea time cakes and like yourself have a folder of recipe clippings that I want to try, this fruit cake looks wonderful. I would love for you to stop by and share this and other recipes with us over at Sweet and Savoury Sunday. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteI will Laura, on my way over!
DeleteLovely cake! I didn't have earl grey tea bags so used some blood orange and raspberry ones instead (thought it might be a bit Christmassy...going to try cranberry ones next time!).
ReplyDeleteIt was so easy to make (I only soaked fruit for a couple of hours)...was worried about the low cooking temperature but it was perfect! I think it's like a light malt loaf...I normally hate fruit cakes but really liked this (which is not good as trying to lose weight!!).
Thanks for sharing the recipe x