Loaf cake recipe

I can live without a microwave but not my computer!!!!

Iv finally got my Computer back from the repair shop and I am now back on line, wayyhaa.  As normal If it's  weird or unusual then it's going to happen to me.  The guy at the repair shop has kept my old graphic board, apparently he has never seen one burn out that way before.

 After collecting it on Saturday, I had to take it back to the repair shop because it still wouldn't work.........  There was a wire loose, which is pretty much the story of my life.......

Base loaf cake recipe:

I am a big fan of having great base recipes that can be adapted depending on the seasons or your tastes.  It makes baking so much simpler.  The Traditional recipe for tea loaf is totally dairy free, as the only liquid used is Tea.  I have made this recipe tons of times both with or without eggs, and for me it bakes just as well.  So is easy to also make vegan.

I love loaf cakes, especially sliced toasted and spread with dairy free butter mmmm.  You can smell the spices as it toasts.  

This sunday I used fresh orange juice instead of the tea and dried cranberries to make a spiced cranberry loaf cake.  

Tea Loaf Cake recipe:

100g - 200g Dried fruit   

4 oz Caster sugar

1/2 Pint warm tea

250g Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1-2 Tsp Mixed spice

- Soak the dried fruit, spice and sugar in the tea/liquid overnight so they can plump up.

- Preheat oven to 180 Celsius and grease and line a 1lb Loaf tin

- Measure out the flour and baking powder into a bowl and pour over the tea and fruit mixture.  Stir together well

- Pour into your baking tin and place in the oven.  Bake for 50 Min's to an hour.

- Test with a skewer to check it's baked through. Then allow to cool in the loaf tin for 10 min's before taking it out and moving to a wire cooling rack.  

- Wait till totally cool before slicing.  It can break up if sliced when still warm.  

This is a great base recipe that can be easily changed.  

Alternative idea's

- Coffee loaf cake: Use 1/2 pint of coffee instead of tea

- Orange loaf cake:  Use 1/2 pint of orange juice and the zest of 1 orange.

- Chia Tea loaf cake: Use chia tea to soak the fruit or your own favourite tea brand.  

- Stout loaf cake:  Use 1/2 pint of dark stout to soak the fruit.  

- lemon poppy seed loaf cake: Use the Juice and zest of 1 lemon, top up with water too 1/2 pint.  Then swap the dried fruit for 50 g poppy seeds. No need to wait with this one,  You don't need to soak the seeds overnight.  

Let me know if you come up with your own alternative recipe, I love trying out new ones xxx