Vegan Tea Loaf

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4.98 from 41 votes

A soft and moist tea loaf that's bursting with dried fruit. This fruit loaf is comforting everyday home-made cake at its best.

Servings: slices

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time2

Ingredients

200 g mixed dried fruit
180 ml strong brewed tea
90 g sugar - golden caster
2 tsp mixed spice
160 g plain flour - or use self raising and omit the baking power
1 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 pinch salt
3 tsp melted Flora Light or neutral flavoured oil

Instructions

Brew the tea and soak the dried fruit in it until cooled. You can cover the bowl and leave it to steep for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Grease and line a 15 cm / 1lb loaf tin. Heat the oven to 160°C (fan)/180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, spices, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the oil, and all the fruit and tea mixture. Mix well.
Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, and flatten the top. Place in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes.
The cake is done when a skewer comes out clean. If the top of the cakes starts to brown before the inside is cooked, then loosely drape a piece of foil over the tin to slow it down.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin,

Notes

You may find that you need to add a little extra water or tea to the batter. Not all dried fruit is the same, and it will absorb different amounts of tea.
You want the tea to be good and strong for this recipe. We usually use English Breakfast. A more aromatic tea, like Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong, can be used to change the flavour. For a caffeine and tannin free version, you could try a fruit infusion instead.
Vary the dried fruit – you want a base of vine fruit (raisins, currants and sultanas), but you could add some dried cranberries, chopped pineapple, apricot or dates. You could even add some chocolate chips.
Try a different spice blend. We use traditional British mixed spice. Pumpkin spices or a biscoff/speculoos blend would all be delicious. Alternatively, you could use allspice, a single spice that works like a mixture.
If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly whilst cooking, loosely drape a piece of foil over the top of the tin.
This cake is best cooked a day before you want to serve.
To freeze wrap the cake in cling film or foil then a thick plastic bag. Allow to defrost for a few hours at room temperature. We often make the cake and then freeze half.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is 8 Weight Watchers Smart Points per slice

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.