Tea time at my grandmother’s is not just about the tea. It is always accompanied with a ton of goodies, whether in the form of simple layer cakes, scones, jam & clotted cream, cookies, or traditional saffron cake. Regardless of whether or not my family and I are even hungry, she somehow always convinces us to grab some of everything…
Unfortunately, this recipe of hers, aptly named, Cup of Tea Cake, was accompanied with very vague, if not, non-existent instructions, but with a little bit of common sense and experimentation, it came out exactly how I remember it. As is the case with many of my grandmother’s dishes, this cake involves quite a bit of butter. 
My grandmother justifies her butter consumption by saying that it provides her with her daily calcium requirement. I’m not so sure about this logic—but in this case, I’ll turn a blind eye and go with it. You should too!
Though I used a combination of raisins (both golden & regular), dried apricots, and prunes, feel free to substitute these with your favorite dried fruit!
PrintCup Of Tea Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
This Cup of Tea Cake is a delightful quick bread that combines the sweetness of dried fruits with the rich flavor of black tea, perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brewed strong, black tea
- 1 cup (8 ounces) dried fruit mixture - apricots, raisins, & prunes
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Brew one cup of strong black tea and pour it into a small saucepan.
- Cut the dried fruit into small pieces if necessary and add them to the tea. Bring the mixture to a low simmer, then turn off the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the cooled tea and fruit mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Feel free to substitute the dried fruit with your favorites. The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It pairs wonderfully with a cup of tea or coffee.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 50
