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Siobhan

Recipe of the Month – Irish Tea Bread

posted at 11:48am, 10 Feb 10 by Siobhan [ 4 comments ]

This month’s recipe comes from Friend of Cafédirect Carolyn Devine and is the perfect accompaniment to any Afternoon Tea or Tea Party!

Carolyn tells us that, “Apart from the fact that the cake is tasty, it is also low-fat as there is only one egg in it, no butter or marge”.  The choice of fruit and spices can be varied to suit taste.  Some of the tea can be replaced by rum or whiskey, and of course she uses organic and Fairtrade ingredients where possible.

Ingredients:

8oz sultanas
8oz raisins
8oz soft dark brown sugar
1lb self-raising flour
1 medium egg
1/2 pint Cafédirect tea of your choice (or you could do half-and-half with whiskey)
2 tsp mixed spice (optional)
Honey (optional)

Method:

1. Soak fruit and sugar overnight in tea.
2. Next day, stir in 1lb self-raising flour (or plain, with 1.5 tsp baking powder) and one medium beaten egg. You can add 2 tsp mixed spice if you like.
3. Bake for 1.5 hours at gas 3 in a 7″ square greased tin, or 2 1lb loaf tins.
4. When cool, can be glazed by brushing some melted honey over the top.
5. Cut into slices and butter.

If you have any recipes you’d like to share send them to friends@cafedirect.co.uk and we’ll send you some Cafédirect tea and coffee if they’re featured on our blog.

Comments

  1. Cafédirect HQ says:
    February 22, 2010 at 10:40 am

    Hi Andrew,

    Gas 3 is 160 degrees celsius or 325 degrees fahrenheit.

    Happy baking!

  2. Andrew says:
    February 21, 2010 at 10:52 am

    Sounds like a lovely recipe, especially with the optional whisky. But, we’ve got an electric oven – what temperature is Gas 3?

  3. Derek Gallagher says:
    February 18, 2010 at 9:56 am

    My wife has been making this for many years. She calls it a tea brack.

  4. sheila whitcombe says:
    February 17, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    I shall look forward to making this cake I always use fairtrade soft brown sugar