This Moist Fruit Tea Loaf recipe is quite possibly the easiest cake you will ever make. Just soak the fruit overnight. The next morning stir in a beaten egg and flour, bake in the oven and that's it.
A great Everyday Fruit cake, it also has a relatively low amount of added sugar and is Fat-Free. Soaking the dried fruit overnight in tea plumps it up and keeps the fruit loaf lovely and moist.
An easy tea loaf recipe, it's perfect all year round and handy for lunch boxes or as an afternoon snack. It freezes well too so why not make several at once and save on energy costs?
For more easy sweet snacks try my Soft Flapjacks or Oat Bars or Banana and Cinnamon Muffins, perfect for using up leftover bananas.
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What is a Tea Loaf?
A Tea Loaf is a traditional British fruit loaf, sometimes called Irish Tea Loaf, Irish Tea Brack, Tea Bread, Bara Brith, or Everyday Fruit Cake. You make it with dried mixed fruit such as sultanas, raisins, and candied peel and moistened with black tea. I think this is why we consider it a traditional British cake. We all love our tea!
Ingredients
- Dried Mixed Fruit -a simple mixture of dried sultanas, raisins, currants and candied peel.
- Golden Caster Sugar - an unrefined soft brown sugar with a golden colour and molasses flavour. It dissolves easily.
- Self-Raising Flour - Self-Rising (US) is a plain flour with baking powder already added. This will make the Tea Loaf rise.
- Black Tea - any black tea will do. Some recipes call for Earl Grey, which will give it a distinct flavour, but any black tea will do.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
If you are making more than one fruit loaf, use one bowl for each loaf. Soak the fruit overnight or for around 8 hours.
Place the dried mixed fruit & sugar in a large bowl and pour over the hot tea. Give it a quick stir to dissolve the sugar, cover it with a plate, and leave overnight.
Pre-heat the oven to 170°C/340°F/gas mark 3. Add the beaten egg and sieve in the flour. Fold the mixture together with a spoon until it is all mixed in.
Transfer the mixture to a standard 2lb loaf tin, lined with a standard 2lb loaf tin liner. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes. To test if it's ready, insert a fork into the middle of the cake, if the fork is clean - ie no cake mixture is stuck to it, it is cooked. You may need an extra 5 minutes.
Leave it to cool. Cut into slices to serve. You can also spread the slices with butter.
Hint: To check if the Fruit Loaf is cooked all the way through, insert a skewer or fork into the centre of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it is cooked. If it has wet cake mixture on it, it needs slightly longer.
To stop the top of your tea loaf from going too brown, cover it loosely with some aluminum foil or baking parchment.
Variations
This is a perfect Everyday Fruit Cake but it's easy to add some additional flavours. Make sure to keep the overall weight of dried fruit etc to 380g / 13oz or your tea loaf will not be moist.
- Spices - add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or All Spice
- Deluxe - add some finely chopped nuts or glace cherries. You don't need to soak the nuts or cherries overnight, just add them along with the eggs and flour
- Orange zest- add the zest of one orange to the fruit and tea mixture
- Dried Cranberries - add a slightly tart flavour
Substitutions
My Fat-Free Tea Loaf recipe is one of my most popular and has been made thousands of times. These are some of the substitutions and questions readers have used and asked.
Gluten-Free Flour - readers have successfully substituted self-raising flour for gluten-free self-raising (self-rising) flour. The brand used was Freee Doves Farm Gluten Free Self Raising Flour.
Sugar - Although there is only a small amount of added sugar for a cake, (50g - the equivalent of 1 teaspoon per slice) the sugar does also help with texture and stops it from being too chewy. However, some readers have successfully used artificial sweeteners as replacements. It's impossible to test the recipe with all the artificial sweeteners available, so I'm just sharing the experiences of readers who've made the recipe here. You should be aware that substituting the sugar with an artificial sweetener will change the texture of the fruit loaf and it won't taste exactly the same. Also, artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar so you may not need as much. Readers have tried the recipe with Sucralose and also Lakanto Sweetener which comes as a powdered sugar replacement.
Equipment
You'll need :-
- 2lb loaf tin
- Loaf tin liner or greaseproof paper
- Large Mixing bowl.
You can't use aluminum foil in place of greaseproof paper. Foil conducts heat and will make the outside of your fruit cake dry.
Sustainability
The dried mixed fruit, tea, and sugar can all be bought Fairtrade which makes a big difference to the farmers who grow the produce. Because it can be stored for several weeks, you're unlikely to waste any so it makes a great standby.
Storage
A Tea Loaf will keep very well stored in an airtight container in your cupboard for about 2-3 weeks. If it starts to go a little dry, you can spread it with butter. It also freezes well. To freeze it, wrap it up well to prevent freezer burn. It will keep for about 6 months. De-frost your tea loaf at room temperature for about 4 hours.
Top tip
This Fruit Loaf freezes well and I usually make 2 or 3 at once to save on energy costs then freeze the spare loaves.
FAQ
Make sure to cook your Tea Loaf on the middle shelf of the oven. All ovens vary slightly in temperature which can affect the cooking time. Covering the top of the loaf loosely with greaseproof paper or aluminum foil will stop it from turning too brown.
You can leave it to cool in the tin, then take it out but leave the loaf liner or baking paper on so the edges don't dry out.
Both cakes are made with dried fruit. A fruit cake contains butter and is sometimes iced or decorated. A Tea Loaf is traditionally served sliced and spread with butter but a key feature is that the mixture itself contains no butter or fats. This means it keeps longer than a traditional fruit cake. With a Tea Loaf, the mixture is soaked overnight in tea.
Related
Looking for other sweet snack recipes like this? Try these:
How to make Tea Loaf
📖 Recipe
The Easiest Fat Free Moist Tea Loaf
Equipment
- 2lb tin loaf
- 2lb tin loaf liner
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 380 g dried mixed fruit Fairtrade available
- 50 g golden caster sugar Fairtrade available
- 1 egg large, beaten, organic available
- 225 g self-raising flour Self-Rising (US) organic available
- 150 ml hot tea traditional black tea, Fairtrade available
Instructions
- Place the dried mixed fruit & sugar in a large bowl and pour over the hot tea. Give it a quick stir to dissolve the sugar, cover it with a plate, and leave overnight.380 g dried mixed fruit, 50 g golden caster sugar, 150 ml hot tea
- Pre-heat the oven to 170°C/340°F/gas mark 3. Add the beaten egg and sieve in the flour. Fold the mixture together with a spoon until it is all mixed in.1 egg, 225 g self-raising flour
- Transfer the mixture to a standard 2lb loaf tin, lined with a standard 2lb loaf tin liner. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes. To test if it's ready, insert a fork into the middle of the cake, if the fork is clean - ie no mixture is stuck to it, it is cooked through. You may need an extra 5 minutes.
- Leave it on a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices to serve. It's also lovely spread with butter.
Notes
Varying the recipe
This is a perfect Everyday Fruit Cake but it's easy to add some additional flavours. Make sure to keep the overall weight of dried fruit etc to 380g / 13oz or your tea loaf will not be moist.- Spices - add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or All Spice
- Deluxe - add some finely chopped nuts or glace cherries. You don't need to soak the nuts or cherries overnight, just add them along with the eggs and flour
- Orange zest- add the zest of one orange to the fruit and tea mixture
- Dried Cranberries - add a slightly tart flavour
Storage
A Tea Loaf will keep very well stored in an airtight container in your cupboard for about 2-3 weeks. If it starts to go a little dry, you can spread it with butter. It also freezes well. To freeze it, wrap it up well to prevent freezer burn. It will keep for about 6 months. De-frost your tea loaf at room temperature for about 4 hours.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
Linda
I have made this many times. I now no longer add sugar as find the fruit sweet enough & sometimes add cherries but always mixed spice & cinnamon. Someone had shared this recipe on Twitter , so pleased I found it & your website, love it. Gradually making my way through your recipes.
Thank you
REALMEALDEAL
Hi Linda thank you so much for your kind and helpful comment. So pleased you like the recipe and are enjoying others on my site.
Elaine
This is my go to cake on a weekly basis. You can add and swap anything to it - I’ve added dried cranberries, desiccated coconut, oat milk (when it’s getting a bit dry) and a banana and the cake comes out perfect each time. Great with orange zest. It lasts a week if given the chance and just needs a a quick blast in the microwave to warm it. It’s low in calories and next time round I’m going to add sweetener instead of sugar to reduce that a bit.
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks so much for letting me know. It's always helpful to hear how readers have adapted the recipe and added in other ingredients. I'd be keen to know how you get on swapping the sugar for sweetener and which one you used. I just updated the recipe with some suggestions from other readers who've tried this.
Sue Smith
This couldn’t be easier to make and tastes delicious, I’m trying to lower my cholesterol so having no saturated fat makes this a perfect treat for me. I slice it up, freeze it and take out a slice whenever I want.
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks Sue, yes it freezes well. I usually make 3 at a time to save on energy costs and freeze 2!
Pam
Good recipes and so easy. Thank you.
Pauline
The sugar content is only the amount of added sugar, not the amount in the dried fruit which can be high. Worth a try if you don’t have a serious issue with sugar or fructose.
REALMEALDEAL
Hi Pauline thanks for your question - the amount of sugar per serving as stated in the nutritional information takes account of all the ingredients, including of course the dried fruit.
Sue Fairall
Fantastic!!!
Rita Murray
I was so pleased to find your recipe. I am on a fat free diet so it is great to find a treat I can eat. Thank you.
Gina
I made this for my husband, who is diabetic, using sucralose. It was so delicious using cranberries and raisins that I am trying again with the addition of apricots and cinnamon! Thank you for sharing.
Anne
The tea loaf was so easy to make and tasted absolutely delicious
Caroline
Excellent recipe… delicate flavor, wonderful texture and taste
Karen
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Can I use 150ml of orange juice as substitute for tea and sugar?
I’d like my cake more nutty and fruity. Do I need to add more fluid if I want 50g more nuts/fruits?
REALMEALDEAL
Hi Karen. Yes you can use some orange juice as a substitute for the tea, but I don't recommend substituting the sugar. Although there is only a small amount of sugar in the recipe (roughly 1 teaspoon per serving) you do need some sugar or the texture of the cake will not be as good and too chewy.
Munaza
Its a perfect recipes for tea cake, we are traditionally tea drinkers like English tea-steeped and with milk and it goes perfectly with afternoon tea, I did however set timer for 45 mts and from then on kept an eye on it. Oh and I also added 1/2 cup of walnuts to my fruit paired so well.
Maureen
Omg this is delicious and so easy! I’ve just made it and have already had 3 slices….it’s so moist, I added mixed spice as well as cinnamon, this will be getting made on the regular 😊
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks so much Maureen! If you're making these on a regular basis, try making 3 at once to save on energy costs. They freeze well so it's very easy!
Kim Ellis
My husband was astonished to have a very high cholesterol level and loves a bit of cake! So I was delighted to come across this super simple recipe - absolutely delicious and keeps him on track whilst not denied the treat. Many thanks for the inspiration!
REALMEALDEAL
Thank you. So pleased to hear he's enjoyed this cake recipe
Sylvia
Just made this loaf it’s delicious added 50grams cranberries reduce the mixed fruit to 230grams added 1/2 teaspoon each of mixed spice cinnamon nutmeg plus 50grams chopped nuts added 5 mins extra cooking time will be on my regular baking list thanks for a great easy low fat low sugar tea loaf
Polly F
Was quite disappointed. Came out very dark even though I used white sugar, and 150mls of tea was nowhere near enough fluid, so I’m still searching for my goto recipe.
REALMEALDEAL
So sorry you were disappointed & I'll try & help troubleshoot this for you. Ovens can sometimes vary in temperature. Is it possible your oven is too hot? I presume you mean the cake was too dark on top. If you want a lighter colour then you could cover it with foil whilst cooking. The 150ml of tea has been teated lots of times (see all comments below) so I'm not sure why it didn't work out for you. Did you use a 2lb loaf tin?
Lynn Salmon
Brilliant quick & easy & tasty
Sue
I think there is too much fruit because it’s very dry. I know it’s a healthy recipe but personally you need some fat and less fruit
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks Sue, the recipe should come out moist and it's been tried and tested lots of times. Is it possible it was left in the oven for too long or that your oven temperature was too high? Sorry it didn't work out for you.
Christine Walton
Hello again! We're still loving this tea loaf and I'm planning to spice it up a bit for an alternative to Christmas cake. I was also thinking of baking the recipe as individual buns - would 15mins at 160° in a fan oven do the trick? Thanks
REALMEALDEAL
Hi Christine, so pleased you are still enjoying the recipe and what a great idea to spice it up for Christmas. For the indivudual buns, I can't give you an exact time as I don't know how big they are. However, after 15 minutes, insert a fork or skewer into the middle and if it comes out clean, they are cooked. If not, just place them back in the oven and keep checking. Don't leave the oven door open whilst you are checking them as you need to keep your oven at a constant temperature. Hope this helps.
Christine Walton
I've just made this tea loaf for the first time but it won't be my last. Even Hubby (who isn't a great cake fan) asked for a bigger slice next time!
Just one question - I'm not a baking expert so this may sound ridiculous to those who are - DO I NEED THE SUGAR?
REALMEALDEAL
Hi Christine, I'm so pleased you enjoyed this tea loaf & even your hubby! With regards to the sugar, the answer is yes you do need the sugar. Although this recipe does have a LOW amount of sugar compared to other cakes and works out at roughly just 1 teaspoon per serving, the sugar does more than just sweeten the cake. It also helps with the texture of the cake and stops it being too chewy. Thanks for a great question though.
Katherine
Hi, this recipe looks great can’t wait to try it. If I add some nuts should I soak them in the tea too?
Thanks
Katherine
REALMEALDEAL
Hi Katherine, no you don't need to soak the nuts with the fruit, just add them in with the flour and egg.
Mrs Caroline De Vere
I’ve turned your excellent tea loaf recipe into a gluten free one by using Dove’s SR Flour.
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks so very much for sharing this. For anyone else, this is the name of the flour
Freee by Doves Farm Gluten Free Self Raising White Flour
Jenny
Just made this loaf. The best moist fruit bread I’ve made.
Thank you so much for the recipe
REALMEALDEAL
Thank you Jenny, so pleased you liked it
Catherine Horrigan
This cake is amazing. So easy to make, very tasty, and I can’t believe it’s fat free. I used Earl Grey tea to soak the fruit, as I have a box full to use up.
Sylvia
Tried half quantities was very tasty excellent recipe
Henry Jones
Really nice. Fantastic recipe
Paula Tansley
Loved this easy recipe, I wanted something to eat instead of biscuits and I love a fruit cake.
Added cinnamon and just perfect thank you.
Giulia Dellamonica-Gaffney
This recipe is so easy to follow. Made it this morning and it tastes amazing.I will be making more. Thankyou.
Deborah Ward
Hi been making this for years and I’m looking to make this as this years Xmas cake, I have brought pre soaked fruit for the first time and not sure if I need to soak it any further as it might not be as moist.
Any tips you can give me would be appreciated
REALMEALDEAL
Hi so great question. Firstly I should say that I've never bought pre-soaked fruit so I don't know what it is like. I imagine that soaking it again would do no harm. The fruit plumps up quite nicely when it is soaked and it can only absorb so much moisture. The texture of this cake is a little different to a traditional xmas cake as this version has no fat in it. It is still a really tasty fruit cake. Are you going to add in anything like cherries and ice it as well? Would love to know how it turns out, please do let me know & good luck.
Susan
I made this cake this morning after soaking the fruit overnight and we are now enjoying it as an after school snack. It is really light and delicious. Will definitely be making this again! So easy and yummy!
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks Susan. So glad you enjoying it. We often have it as an after school snack
John Vaughan
This is often called Bara Brith. I’ve made it for years. Very simple and moreish. I’d no idea it lasted weeks. Days at most here. Mary Berry’s recipe has way too much sugar in and this is much better. I sometimes use an apple cinnamon tea bag and some chopped apple as a change but builders tea is best.
Hayley Koumblis
I’m always on the hunt for healthy snacks for my ever growing children so thought I give this recipe a go. Not only was it quick and simple, it really was delicious. A big hit with everyone! I chose to add a touch of cinnamon which worked really well.
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks Hayley so pleased you liked it. I think cinnamon goes really well & adds nice flavour.