Royal Blend Tea Loaf recipe

This loaf is subtly scented, rather than bludgeoned by Fortnum's Royal Blend tea, which is a mixture of Assam tea and Flowery Pekoe from Ceylon. But you can use any good Flowery Pekoe or Assam.

Ingredients

MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF

350g sultanas 

300ml hot water

1½ teaspoons Royal Blend tea leaves

225g light muscovado sugar 

275g plain flour

15g baking powder

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 egg, lightly beaten

For the tea syrup

100g caster sugar

100ml water

grated zest of ½ lemon

1 teaspoon Royal Blend tea leaves

For the tea-flavoured apricot glaze (optional)

1 teaspoon of Royal Blend tea leaves

75g apricot jam

Method

Put the sultanas into a shallow dish. Pour the hot water over the tea leaves and leave to infuse for 5-10 minutes. Strain the tea and pour it over the sultanas. Leave to soak for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. 

Transfer the sultanas to a mixing bowl, along with any liquid that hasn't been absorbed. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon zest and egg, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a greased and lined 1kg loaf tin. Place in an oven heated to 150°C/Gas Mark 2 and bake for 1-1¼ hours, until the loaf is well risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the tea syrup: combine the sugar, water and lemon zest in a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 seconds. Stir in the tea leaves, cover and leave to stand for 15 minutes.

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and spike it all over using a cocktail stick. Ensure you reach right to the bottom of the cake, so the syrup can penetrate all the way through. Strain the warm syrup and drizzle it evenly over the cake. Leave in the tin for at least 15 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool. 

If you want to add the apricot glaze, pour 25ml hot water over the tea leaves and leave to infuse for 5 minutes, then strain into a small saucepan. Add the jam and heat gently, stirring until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and brush all over the top of the cake. 

Inspiration

Discover The Journal, home to a host of our most delicious stories. 

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