Over here in the United States it can, at times, be a challenge to find a good cuppa. Fortunately, Yorkshire Tea is exported across the pond, and so when ever I find it I stock up. Recently I found this Yorkshire leaf tea. Whilst I am the only tea drinker in our American family, I knew that they would all love a traditional tea cake.

Step one is to pre-heat your oven to 350f, then make a good strong brew of Yorkshire Tea.

We love the fact that the packaging shows scenes from near my mother’s house in North Yorkshire. This is the ruin of Fountains Abbey taken on a trip to England.

Back to the tea cake… once the tea is brewed, measure 225ml of the tea.

Then add the tea to 300g of chopped berries. We used dates and cranberries, but any dried fruit will work.

Let the fruit steep in the tea for at least an hour.

In a bowl cream 100g of light brown sugar with 50g of butter.

Beat in one whole egg until combined.

Add the chopped fruit and all the tea plus 1/4 cup of orange juice.

Weigh out 225g of flour

Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the flour. Beat wet and dry ingredients together to form a batter.

Grease a bread pan.

Line with parchment paper.

Spread the batter evenly in the tin. Sprinkle the top with sugar.

Bake for one hour then test with a skewer (it will come out clean when inserted into the center).

Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Slice and serve… preferably with a cup of Yorkshire Tea.