YORKSHIRE TEA CAKE
YORKSHIRE TEA CAKE
YORKSHIRE TEA CAKE

Ingredients
  • 2 good-quality strong
  • black tea bags
  • 4 tbsp brandy
  • 1 tsp rosewater
  • 1 tbsp clear honey
  • 115g/4oz sultanas
  • 75g/2½oz raisins
  • 50g/1¾oz currants
  • 180g/6½oz strong bread flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp medium-cut orange marmalade
  • 120g/4oz soft brown sugar
  • 1 large free-range egg
  • at room temperature
  • lightly beaten
  • 30g/1oz unsalted butter
  • melted and cooled until tepid
  • 2 tbsp marmalade
  • marzipan fruits (optional)
  • gold leaf (optional)
Directions
  • Place the tea bags in a bowl and add 200ml/7fl oz hot water
  • the brandy
  • rosewater
  • honey and dried fruit. Cover and soak overnight
  • or until the fruit is plump. (If you are short of time
  • you can cheat a little by warming the ingredients gently to speed up the process).
  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 450g/1lb loaf tin with baking paper.
  • When the fruit is plump
  • strain it and discard the liquid and tea bags.
  • Sift the flour
  • baking powder
  • cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Add the marmalade and brown sugar. Stir in the egg and melted butter and combine to form a soft dough. Add the fruit and thoroughly mix together.
  • Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes
  • or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes. Turn out and cool on wire rack.
  • To decorate the cake
  • brush the cake with marmalade. Cut the marzipan fruits in half and place on top of the cake. Use the gold leaf to gilt the marzipan fruits.