Recipe: Low Fat Victorian Fruit Tea Cake
Here is my recipe for a low fat Victorian Fruit Tea Cake:-
I have made this really simple fruit cake for years, ever since my first mother in law introduced me to sliced fruit cake with a thick layer of unsalted butter and a lovely cup of tea.
Since those days this recipe has never failed me especially when friends called to say they were popping over later that day for a cuppa or family coming to stay – it is always handy to have a great fruitcake in the tin.
It is best to soak the fruit in the tea overnight but a couple of hours will still work. I have even on occasion soaked the fruit in brandy or rum especially if it is for a special event. You can use any combination of fruit you want to. Sometimes I like to use just one fruit, perhaps dates or figs but usually I use a mixture of raisins, cherries, figs, dates, apricots etc. I often have bags of opened dried fruit which I want to use up and this cake is the perfect opportunity.
I like to make up my own mix of spices from my tin of spices from Grenada. I always keep ground cinnamon, cinnamon pieces, ground nutmeg, whole nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves and bay leaf handy and for this recipe I used ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground ginger (all from my travels to the spice island of Grenada).
Recipe
A quick and easy fruit cake that goes perfectly with a cup of tea or a mug of coffee
- 300 grams dried fruit
- 75 grams light brown sugar
- 15 mil grated lemon rind
- 400 mil hot tea Early Grey is particularly nice
- 350 grams all purpose flour
- 10 mil baking powder
- 10 mil mixed spice
- 1 med - lge egg
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In a large bowl soak the dried fruit, brown sugar and lemon rind in the hot tea for at least an hour.
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Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
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Either use a 2lb loaf tin liner or grease and flour a 2lb loaf tin.
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In a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and the egg.
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Mix thoroughly.
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Strain the fruit. Save the tea in case you need some more moisture.
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Add the fruit and as much liquid as you need to achieve a nice batter consistency.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes.
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Cool completely.
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Slice and serve with butter and a lovely cup of tea (or coffee).
This cake can also be made in smaller loaf tins which would be perfect to serve with an Afternoon Tea sitting proudly among the other fancies on the Afternoon Tea tower!
If you wish to upscale the cake you can soak the dried fruit in rum or brandy. You can use the liquid from the soak for that extra moisture if you want. This makes it slightly more festive or special occasion.
Please leave a comment below telling me which is your favourite cake and why.
If you love baking check out a couple of my other recent bakes:-
Flour Shortage Chocolate Brownies
Looks delicious – hope you have a slice ready for me next time I come and visit you 😉 It is similar to Welsh bara brith but looking at the ingredients now, bara brith uses self-raising flour and sometimes also yeast so I guess it could have a ‘stickier’ texture, perhaps.
Yes, Bara Brith is a bit drier. I soak my fruit in tea and use some of the liquid if I need it so it stays really moist.
That fruit cake looks devine , the moistness from the soaked fruit must have given it a really nice flavour . I would love a slice with a cup of tea any day .
The Earl Grey tea plumps up the fruit and gives a unique flavour.
Gorgeous looking Teacake Heidi, I love how easy the recipe is ! Will definitely try my hand at baking this over the weekend, I mean who doesn’t need a bit of cake along with their afternoon cuppa, right?!
I love an easy recipe and this one is definitely one of those!
Love the look of this, a healthier version, perfect with a cuppa I bet!
It is really great with a cp of tea or coffee!
That looks heavenly Heidi. Although I rather wish I hadn’t seen it as I am trying to be good today and this looks seriously tasty.
It is a really tasty cake and keeps well for a couple of days. If it lasts that long that is!
This looks glorious! I love fruit cake but I rarely bake it – I will have to remedy that situation!
Yes please – make this cake it is really a family favourite
This looks really good, although I would have mine with salted butter please. I like that it’s low fat too!
We used to always eat salted butter then for some reason started eating unsalted and can’t go back.