Spoil your Mother this weekend with this wonderful tea cake recipe from Edward Hayden.

"The calming influence of the earl grey works wonderfully in this recipe and adds a great depth of flavour along with the mixed spice." – Edward Hayden

Yield: Seves: 14

Ingredients

  • 110g/4oz butter, cut into cubes
  • 225g/8oz light brown sugar
  • 300ml/10fl oz cold water
  • 2 earl grey teabags
  • 200g/7oz sultanas
  • 200g/7oz currants
  • 350g/12.3oz plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
  • 1 level teaspoon bread soda
  • 1 large free range egg

For the glaze

  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam
  • 1 tablespoon water

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/gas mark 2.
  2. Lightly grease an 8inch/20cm cake tin and line the base and sides with parchment paper.
  3. In a large saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar, sultanas, and currants with the water and the tea bags. Bring the mixture to the boil and allow to boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes. Take the mixture off the heat and allow to cool slightly for approximately 10-15 minutes. At this stage remove and discard the tea bags.
  4. Meanwhile sieve the plain flour, the mixed spice and the bread soda together. After sufficient time has elapsed, add the egg to the tea-infused fruit mixture and mix in completely. Add the spiced flour mixture to the pot as well and mix thoroughly.
  5. Pour the mixture into the pre-lined cake tin and transfer the cake to the oven and bake for between 1 hour and 1 hour 15minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  6. When the cake comes out of the oven, leave it in the tin to cool and after approximately an hour, transfer onto a wire rack to cool fully.
  7. When fully cooled, boil together the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan until bubbling and then brush it fully over the cake to create a shiny glaze.

Tip: Feel free to make this in a 2lb/900g loaf tin as an alternative shape

Related: Irish food, Recipes