Honey tea loaf

Ingredients

• vegetable oil, for greasing
• 100g/3½oz mixed dried fruit
• 70ml/2¾fl oz decaffeinated tea, cooled until tepid
• 1 heaped tsp honey
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 150g/5oz plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ teaspoon mixed spice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a loaf tin with vegetable oil.

2. Place the dried fruit into a large mixing bowl and pour over the warm tea. Stir in the honey.

3. Beat the egg and whisk it into the tea mixture using a fork. (Make sure that the tea is not too hot so that the egg doesn't curdle.)

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until the mixture is thick, sticky and well combined.

6. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared loaf tin and place the tin onto a baking tray. Bake the tea loaf in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

7. Set the tea loaf aside to cool in the tin, then cut into thick slices.

Tips

This dish can be frozen for up to one month.