Mary’s Tea Time Cake

ByJanice Pattie February 4, 2015February 4, 2023

Mary’s Tea Time Cake is a simple recipe that makes a tea time cake that is packed full of fruit and is absolutely delicious with a cup of tea.

Why make Mary’s Tea Time Cake?

Mary’s Tea Time cake is one of those recipes that you want to make again and again. There is no denying that Mary Berry knows her stuff when it comes to baking.

I’ve made this so many times and it always turns out perfectly. I wanted to share it with you because even if you have never baked before, you can make this cake, it is perfect for beginners

I came across the recipe for the cake in a magazine and cut it out to put in my recipe folder. In the days before Pinterest and other digital methods of saving, I cut out recipes and kept them in a folder. It’s something I have been doing since in my early teens.

I have a huge resource of recipes that I like to look through for inspiration. Many recipes have never been made and others like this one are made again and again.

What is a Tea Loaf?

Tea Bread or Tea Loaf is a traditional British cake. Dried fruit is soaked in tea, preferably overnight, and then mixed with flour, sugar, spices and an egg. The loaf is then baked slowly and left to cool in the tin before cutting into slices.

Different regions and countries have their own speciality tea bread. In Wales, it is Bara Brith, in England, Tea Bread is most associated with Yorkshire where it is served with Wensleydale cheese. In Ireland, the fruited tea bread is known as Barm Brack.

What ingredients do I need for Mary’s Tea Time Cake?

All the ingredients are everyday items that you are likely to have in your larder already:

mixed dried fruit
soft light brown sugar
hot tea
self-raising flour
lemon zest
egg

What kind of dried fruit should I use?

You can buy ready mixed packets of dried fruit. They usually contain raisins, sultanas, currants and mixed peel.

But you can also use any combination of raisins, sultanas, currants, dried cranberries or dried cherries. Cut up larger dried fruits like apricots, prunes and dried apples into small pieces and include them in your mix.

What kind of tea should I use for Mary’s Tea Time Cake?

I usually use black tea, an ordinary tea bag works just fine. Mary suggests Earl Grey Tea which has a distinctive, slightly floral taste.

Almost any black tea will work well with this recipe. It is also good to use Chai spiced tea or to make it with Rooibus (Redbush) tea, Some fruit teas such as Lemon & Ginger or Red Fruits also work well in this recipe.

How long does the fruit have to soak in the tea?

Soak the fruit in the tea overnight. The fruit will soak up all the tea and plump up beautifully. If I forget to soak the fruit overnight and want to make this tea time cake, then two hours is the minimum soaking time.

Do I need any special equipment to make the tea loaf?

You will need a 900-gram (2 lb) loaf tin, a grater for the lemon zest, a bowl, and a spoon. That’s it, no need for electric mixers or fancy gadgets. In fact, if I don’t have a lemon, I just leave that out. It does add extra flavour but I’ve made it without the lemon zest and it’s not absolutely essential.

Why do I need to leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes to cool?

Cool the cake in the tin to help keep the moisture in the cake. Leaving it to cool a little will also help you remove the cake from the tin. Although I always line my loaf tin with a baking parchment liner, so it always comes out clean.

Can I make Mary’s Tea Time Cake ahead of time?

Make the cake ahead of the time you want to eat it and it will reward you by tasting twice as good! Store the cake wrapped in aluminium foil in a cake tin for up to 5 days. My problem is that I can never keep the cake that long!

Can I freeze the Tea Time Cake?

Cut the Tea Time Cake into slices once it is completely cold. Lay the slices out on a baking tray covered with baking parchment and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, store the slices in a container or plastic bag for up to 3 months.

To defrost simply take out the number of slices you need and place them on a cooling tray covered with a clean tea towel for about an hour until they are fully defrosted.

Vegetarian

This cake is suitable for vegetarians.

Gluten Free

Mary’s Tea Time Cake contains wheat flour and is not suitable for a GF diet. For a similar recipe that is Gluten Free try this Bara Brith recipe from Gluterama.

How do I serve Mary’s Tea Time Cake?

Serve the cake cut into slices. It’s a lovely moist cake so I don’t serve it with butter, however, you can spread it with butter if you prefer. Serve this cake with tea or coffee, it also makes a great addition to your lunch box or on picnics because it holds together well.

More Tea Time Cakes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Apricot Tea Bread

A rich and fruity tea bread packed full of delicious apricots and other dried fruits and oh so easy to make.

Check out this recipe

Brilliant Blender Banana Bread

Sure to be a crowd-pleaser, this Banana Bread is made in a blender, so quick and easy. It’s a great addition to the tea table or for snacks and lunch boxes.

Check out this recipe

Yorkshire Barm Brack (Tea Loaf)

This a lovely moist fruit cake, there is a hint of whisky, black treacle and dark brown sugar also add a lovely depth to the flavour.

Check out this recipe

Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake

The recipe for this sticky date cake has been around for many years. handed down from generation to generation. It keeps well and is one of the most delicious fruit cakes I have tasted.

Check out this recipe

More Tea Time Cakes

Apple & Sultana Bread – Curly’s Cooking
Treacle Gingerbread Loaf – Tinned Tomatoes
Super Simple All Bran Fruit Loaf – Crumbs & Corkscrews