Huffsie Fruited Tea Loaf from Shetland
A fruited tea loaf is a very British bake – dried vine fruits, steeped in our national drink, tea, are cooked with sugar, eggs and flour into a delicious, moist fruit cake. There are many different recipes from around the country, and even recipes from the same part of the country vary significantly. Some include butter, some spices, some citrus flavours too. This particular version is from the Isle of Whalsay, Shetland, Scotland and includes butter, spices and also some treacle. It is moist, packed with fruit with spicy and caramel undertones. Like most tea loaves, it is delicious served as it is, works wonderfully well with salted butter, you can add some jam and it also fantastic with cheese.
Makes 1 x 900g/2lb loaf
Ingredients
- 200g mixed dried fruit
- 100ml tea, or fruit juice if you prefer
- 100g soft brown sugar
- 100g unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon treacle
- 200g plain/all-purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 eggs
Instructions
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Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
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Two hours to 24 hours before you bake the bread: weigh the dried fruit into a saucepan. Pour in the tea and leave to soak, covered, for a minimum of an hour, or up to 24 hours.
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An hour before you bake the bread: weigh the sugar, butter and treacle into the saucepan with the dried fruit and tea. Bring slowly to the brisk simmer and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Cover and leave for another hour, to cool.
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When you are ready to make the cake: preheat oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3 (fan 150°C) and grease and line a 1 x 900g/2lb loaf tin. Alternatively use a cake tin liner.
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Weigh the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt into a bowl and mix well. Add the fruit mixture and fold into the flour.
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Beat the eggs and mix into the cake batter.
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Transfer to the lined 900g/2lb loaf tin and level the surface. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the loaf has risen and is golden brown in colour.
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Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
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Delicious served sliced, or with some salted butter, perhaps even some added jam. It is also wonderful served with cheese.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- saucepan
- mixing bowl
- 1 x 900g/2lb loaf tin, greased and lined
Where is this recipe from?
This particular recipe is by Marian Armitage, a Shetland native, and it is featured in the booklet, ‘A Taste of Shetland’. However, I came across the recipe on Lavender and Lovage’s website. Karen was travelling in Shetland when she first ate this cake at a charity Sunday afternoon tea on one of the islands. To read more about her trip and to check out her wonderful website and recipes, please see here.