The 1st of August is Yorkshire Day, as well as Lammas, to celebrate this, I am sharing a new recipe for Harvest Fruit & Cherry Tea Loaf
A Traditional Recipe for Harvest Festivals, Lammas and Late Summer
Happy Yorkshire Day! The 1st of August is Yorkshire Day, as well as Lammas, an important date in the British Calendar. To celebrate this, I am sharing a new recipe for Harvest Fruit & Cherry Tea Loaf.
This is a traditional “cup of tea” fruit loaf, with added cherries, based on a Yorkshire Tea fruit loaf I had many years ago, which is sadly not sold anymore.
Lammas is the traditional beginning of harvest. It is believed to be a corruption of “loaf-mass”, due to the loaves of bread that were taken to church, so any baking recipes are welcome on this day.
My recipe for Harvest Fruit & Cherry Tea Loaf fulfils the harvest loaf criteria, insofar as it is a delectable sweet loaf (yeast free for ease), which would be a lovely treat for the workers in the field.
Why not make a couple of loaves for the cake tin, as they keep well, and get better a day or two after baking, as do many fruited sweet breads and cakes.
A traditional fruit tea loaf doesn’t usually contain cherries, but I think they add a moistness to the loaf, as well as colour and a sense of something special.
Serve this tea loaf the Yorkshire way, buttered (salted butter is best) with a cheese, and slices of tart apples – trust me, it’s a fabulous taste sensation.
This tea loaf also freezes well – just wrap in baking parchment and then tinfoil, and freeze. To defrost, take the loaf out and leave it to defrost wrapped, as not to dry out.
Serve as before, or even toasted, as this loaf toasts well, and tastes similar to a teacake when served warm with melted butter – bliss!
I hope you enjoy this latest recipe of mine if you make it. Enjoy the harvest, wherever you are, and why not revel in the slow change of season with cakes, fruit, cheese and maybe a pint of ale! Karen
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Harvest Fruit & Cherry Tea Loaf Recipe
Harvest Fruit & Cherry Tea Loaf
Yield:
12
Prep Time:
12 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time:
13 hours 45 minutes
Happy Yorkshire Day! The 1st of August is Yorkshire Day, as well as Lammas, an important date in the British Calendar. To celebrate this, I am sharing a new recipe for Harvest Fruit & Cherry Tea Loaf.
This is a traditional “cup of tea” fruit loaf, with added cherries, based on a Yorkshire Tea fruit loaf I had many years ago, which is sadly not sold anymore.
Lammas is the traditional beginning of harvest. It is believed to be a corruption of “loaf-mass”, due to the loaves of bread that were taken to church, so any baking recipes are welcome on this day.
My recipe for Harvest Fruit & Cherry Tea Loaf fulfils the harvest loaf criteria, insofar as it is a delectable sweet loaf (yeast free for ease), which would be a lovely treat for the workers in the field.
Why not make a couple of loaves for the cake tin, as they keep well, and get better a day or two after baking, as do many fruited sweet breads and cakes.
A traditional fruit tea loaf doesn’t usually contain cherries, but I think they add a moistness to the loaf, as well as colour and a sense of something special.
Serve this tea loaf the Yorkshire way, buttered (salted butter is best) with a cheese, and slices of tart apples – trust me, it’s a fabulous taste sensation.
This tea loaf also freezes well – just wrap in baking parchment and then tinfoil, and freeze. To defrost, take the loaf out and leave it to defrost wrapped, as not to dry out.
Serve as before, or even toasted, as this loaf toasts well, and tastes similar to a teacake when served warm with melted butter – bliss!
I hope you enjoy this latest recipe of mine if you make it. Enjoy the harvest, wherever you are, and why not revel in the slow change of season with cakes, fruit, cheese and maybe a pint of ale! Karen
Ingredients
- 200g raisins
- 75g currants
- 75g glacé cherries
- 425ml freshly made Yorkshire tea or 425ml tea, of your choice
- 75g soft brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 270g self raising flour
Instructions
- Weigh out the currants and raisins and place into a large bowl. Pour over the hot tea; cover the bowl and leave to steep for 12 hours or overnight.
- The next day, the fruit will be very plump and juicy looking. Some tea will still remain in the bowl which is fine.
- Grease a 2lb (900g) loaf tin and preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
- Cut the cherries into halves, then add to the soaked dried fruit along with the sugar and spice. Stir until mostly dissolved.
- Add the eggs and mix well until combined.
- Scatter the flour over the surface of the mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix it in until everything is well incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour and a half hours, or until golden brown on top and when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out relatively clean.
- Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve buttered with jam, honey or with cheese and apple.
Notes
This tea loaf also freezes well – just wrap in baking parchment and then tinfoil, and freeze. To defrost, take the loaf out and leave it to defrost wrapped, as not to dry out.
In place of the raisins and currants, use 275g mixed dried fruit with peel.
For a more festive tea loaf, soak the fruit in tea with a splash of whisky or brandy, or add to the mixture after the soaking.
If you want to soak the fruit in another type of tea, I can recommend Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12
Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 187Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 31mgSodium 284mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 2gSugar 21gProtein 4g
Happy Yorkshire Day
