Irish Tea Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round pan.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated; stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. If the batter is too stiff, a tablespoon or two of milk may be added. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack, then turn out onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar right before serving.

Steps:

• Soak currants in the tea and add the brown sugar. Leave fruit overnight to soak.
• Next day add the self-raising flour and the SR Flour and the lightly beaten egg.
• Mix well with a wooden spoon and place into a greased and lined small loaf tin. I think these are also referred to as a bar tin.
• Bake in a pre-heated moderate oven for about 1 hour. Turn out and cool.
• Serve sliced and buttered. This loaf keeps very well for at least a week.
• Cooking and prep time does not include overnight soaking of the currants.

Steps:

• The day before you intend to cook this recipe, place all the fruit and the mixed peel into a large mixing bowl.
• In a medium bowl or large heat proof jug, measure out 275ml of boiling water.
• Jiggle the tea bag around in the water until you have a nice, strong brew.
• Add the sugar to the hot tea and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Pour tea/sugar mixture over the fruit.
• Cover and leave overnight.
• The next day, set the oven to 170C/325°F.
• Grease two 450g/1lb loaf tins and line the base and sides with baking paper- also known as baking parchment or silicone paper.
• Add the chopped walnuts to the fruit mixture.
• Break the egg into a small dish, add the milk, and beat lightly.
• Add the egg mixture to the fruit mixture.
• Sieve the flour into the fruit mixture then mix well, using a wooden spoon- the mixture may seem dry at first, but keep mixing and it will come together.
• Using a large serving spoon, divide the mixture evenly between the lined loaf tins, then smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
• Place on the centre shelf of the oven and bake for 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hours until a skewer, pushed through the centre of the cake, comes out clean.
• Be careful not to overcook- test after 1 1/4 hours.
• Remove cakes from oven and turn out immediately to cool on a wire rack.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, sliced and buttered.