Irish Tea Cake Dried Fruit (Printable)

Moist Irish cake with dried fruit and warming spices, perfect for tea time or a light breakfast.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dried Fruit Preparation

01 - 7 ounces mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas)
02 - 2/3 cup hot strong black tea

→ Cake Batter

03 - 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Optional Additions

12 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or almonds

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine mixed dried fruit with hot black tea in a medium bowl. Allow mixture to soak for minimum 30 minutes to plump the fruit. Drain thoroughly before incorporating into batter.
02 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Generously grease an 8-inch round or loaf pan and line with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
03 - Place softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat together until mixture becomes pale, light, and fluffy in texture, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated and mixture is smooth.
05 - Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Add fresh lemon zest. Fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Fold in the drained soaked dried fruit along with any optional nuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - Spoon batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly and smoothing the top surface with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 55-65 minutes until a wooden skewer or cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean without wet batter attached.
09 - Let cake rest in pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing to a wire rack. Cool completely to room temperature. Slice and serve plain or spread with butter.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The tea soaked fruit keeps every bite incredibly moist without any fancy techniques
  • It comes together with basic pantry staples you probably already have
  • This cake actually tastes better on day two when all the flavors have had time to become friends
02 -
  • Properly draining the soaked fruit is absolutely critical or you'll end up with a damp heavy cake
  • Overmixing once the flour is added will make your cake tough instead of tender
  • The cake is done when it's golden brown and a skewer comes out clean but don't be tempted to open the oven before the 55 minute mark
03 -
  • Soak your fruit overnight in the fridge for the most intense flavor distribution
  • Use a light colored pan rather than dark metal to prevent the edges from overbaking

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