Irish Tea Brack

4.69 from 19 reviews

Irish Tea Brack is a not-too-sweet bread that is moist and filled with dried fruits soaked in strong black tea. Glaze the loaf with honey and (optional) whiskey when it's hot from the oven.

Prep Time20

Bake Time1

Soaking Time1

Total Time2 20

Servings:16 servings

Ingredients

4 ounces golden raisins (⅔ cup)
4 ounces currants (⅔ cup)
4 ounces chopped dried dates (⅔ cup)
12 ounces freshly brewed black tea (1 ¼ cups)
1 lemon
1 orange
4 ounces brown sugar (½ cup)
4 ½ ounces honey (6 tablespoons)
1 large egg
10 ounces all purpose flour (2 cups, see note)
1 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
2 tablespoons Irish whiskey (see note)

Instructions

Combine the raisins, currants and dates in a large heat-proof bowl. Pour the hot tea over the fruit. Add finely grated zest and all the juice from the lemon and the orange. Cover the bowl and set aside for 1 hour.
Butter a 9"x5" loaf pan, or spray with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 °F.
Add the brown sugar, ¼ cup of honey and the egg to the soaked fruit and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
While the cake bakes, stir together the whisky and the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush the whiskey mixture over the top of the loaf. Use all the glaze, it will absorb as the cake cools. Cool the loaf 20 minutes before removing from the pan.
Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

You can use any mix of dried fruits that you like. Dark raisins, craisins or dried apricots would work well.

For an alcohol-free glaze use cold tea in place of the whiskey.

Because the cake has very little fat, the loaf is best the day it is baked. Leftovers can be sliced, wrapped and frozen. I suggest you toast before serving.

Nutrition