gurdymonkey | Recipe for tea bread from Edward Boreham

Sticking this here so I can find it again as it was posted by a Facebook friend who lives and reenacts in the UK. My notes in italics for us Yanks.

4oz (8 tbsp.) butter

6oz (a little over a cup) mixed dried fruit

4oz (1/2 cup) golden caster sugar (Ed says regular granulated sugar will work but the top of the loaf may get slightly crispy - as if that's a bad thing. Since the sugar is going to be added to hot tea, it'll dissolve, which is the important thing.)

9oz (2 cups) self raising flour (If you can't buy it, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt to each cup of all purpose flour.)

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (this is baking soda.)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mixed spice (Our equivalent would be similar to the dreaded Pumpkin spice. I figure I'll use ground cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice.)

1/2 pint (2 cups) Earl Grey tea

Preheat oven to gas 4/350 F/ 180C/ 160C fan.

Make the tea and put in a saucepan with the butter and sugar. Stir until melted (do not boil). Add the fruit to the liquid.

Sieve the remaining dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Stir in the tea/fruit mix.

Pour into a 1lb loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes (plus or minus - my (Ed) recipe says 40; I usually check it at 25; 30 seems right on my current oven). It is ready when a skewer goes in and comes out clean.

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I already have a cranberry apple pie planned for Christmas, but this sounds like it would keep well in an airtight container, so I may make this as well, because tea cake.