Aromatic Tea Loaf

Aromatic Tea Loaf

Now, most of you out there will know my love for tea and cake. I love, love, love afternoon tea especially when I can share the experience with my friends. This cake combines the two.

I was recently sent some rose and bergamot tea from Steenbergs that I wanted to use in a different way and not just make a pot to drink. This cake uses the tea as an aromatic. Mix this with other scrumptious flavours and you get a dense fruit cake that is perfect for afternoon tea with friends. Of course it goes without saying that a delicious pot of tea is a must to have alongside!

Aromatic Tea Loaf
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Prep Time
24 hr
Cook Time
1 hr 30 min
Prep Time
24 hr
Cook Time
1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
  1. 275ml hot, strong Rose and Bergamot tea. Use Earl Grey or English Breakfast Tea as an alternative.
  2. 125g each of dried apricots and dates, roughly chopped
  3. 150g sultanas
  4. 100g golden caster sugar
  5. 25g dark brown sugar
  6. 10 green cardamom pods
  7. 75g ground almonds
  8. 200g self raising flour
  9. 1/2tsp rosewater
  10. 2 medium eggs, beaten
  11. - For the icing
  12. 150g icing sugar
  13. 1 1/4tbsp cold water (you may need more)
  14. Pink food colouring
  15. 10 almonds
  16. 5 or 6 dried apricots, roughly chopped
Instructions
  1. Put dried fruit and dark brown sugar into a medium bowl and cover with the hot tea. Leave to soak for at least an hour. Overnight preferably.
  2. Preheat oven to 150C/gas mark 2. Line a 2lb/900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar. Pick out the seeds and discard the husks. Grind the seeds to a powder.
  3. In a large bowl add the ground seeds, ground almonds, flour and caster sugar.
  4. Add the soaked fruit mixture, the rosewater and the eggs and mix well to combine.
  5. Scrape mixture into prepared tin and bake for 1hr 20mins to 1hr 30mins until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  6. Cool in the tin for 5 mins and then turn out on a wire rack and cool completely.
  7. Transfer cooled cake to a board or serving plate.
  8. Stir icing sugar, water and food colour to make a pink thick icing.
  9. Pour over the top of the cake and let it drip down the side.
  10. Decorate with chopped Almond and apricots.
  11. Allow icing to set before serving in slices.
Tara's Busy Kitchen (and other stories) http://tarasbusykitchen.com/
Disclaimer: As always my views are my own. I was not paid to post this article.

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