Tea Loaf (Aunty Lol's)
Ingredients
- 110 oz. (4 ozs.) currants
- 110 gr. (4 ozs.) sultanas
- 1 large cup of strong, cold tea / 275 ml. (8 fl. oz.)
- 225 gr. (8 ozs.) self raising flour
- 110 gr. (4 ozs) soft brown sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. marmalade
- Preheat oven to 150°C.
- Grease and flour a 900 gr. (2 lb.) loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.
Method
Begin the cake the night before (Having said that - this was the original recipe so if you want to make it the same day - heat the tea to boiling point, pour over the fruit and leave for an hour or two until the fruit is nice and plump, then begin making the tea loaf)
Soak the fruits in the tea overnight. This is important - the sultanas and currants will plump up and absorb most of the tea, making them moist when the tea loaf is baked.
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in the sugar.
Beat the egg with the marmalade and add with the fruits to the flour to make a smooth consistency.
It should drop gently off the spoon. Add a little milk if necessary.
Bake in oven at 150°C for approx. 1 hr. Keep checking towards the end of the cooking time.
You can also use 2 x 450 gr. (1 lb.) loaf tins, check these after 25 minutes baking.
Tea loaves were often served buttered, but I think this is delicious just as it is.