Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried fruit (raisins, currants, cranberries, plums, apricots, dates, etc.)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 ¼ cups hot black tea (brewed)
- splash whiskey (or whisky) (optional)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Mixed Spice (see note)
- 1 large egg (beaten)
Instructions
- Combine the fruit, brown sugar and orange zest in a mixing bowl. Add hot tea and whiskey, if using. Stir well, cover and let soak for 4 hours or longer (up to overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
- Add the flour, baking powder, spice and egg to the soaked fruit mixture, stirring until moistened.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about an hour.
- Let cool in loaf pan. Slice while still warm and serve with butter.
Notes
If you don't have British "Mixed Spice", you can substitute gingerbread spice with a dash of coriander, nutmeg and allspice to come close to the taste.