One thing I really loved about living in the U.K. was their penchant for tea and tea time treats. They are a nation that stops everything it is doing a couple of times a day to enjoy a nice hot cuppa and if that cuppa is accompanied by a nice bit of cake or a biscuit, then so much the better!
I love British bakes and cakes. So much so that I wrote a book about it several years ago, which you can find here. It contains some 60 different bakes, most of which are perfectly delightful served with cups of hot tea.
This Old Fashioned Tea Cake Slices recipe which I am sharing with you today comes from a very old recipe which was published in the paper back in the early 1920's. It embodies all that I love about British baked goods. It is simple to make, using nothing out of the ordinary.
It goes together simply using traditional methods. It cooks up rather quickly as well, and it is one of those cakes that seems to taste better with each day that passes.
It is a recipe I got from my late friend Doreen probably about 20 years ago now, but I can see that there is another recipe for it posted here. That particular recipe only gives the measurements in metric. As always, I have taken the time and incorporated both British and North American measures in my recipe, so you can bake this lovely tea cake successfully on both sides of the pond without a lot of fuss! Enjoy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKE SLICES
Simple every day baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing out of the ordinary here!
- 1 cup + 1/2 TBS (115g) self rising flour (see notes)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice (see notes)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS (115g) caster sugar (finely granulated sugar, or fruit sugar)
- 1/4 cup (47g) sultana raisins
- 1/4 cup (47g) raisins
- 1/4 cup (47g) dried currants
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk, or as needed
I tell you how to make your own self rising flour and mixed spice just below. Mixed spice is a very common British baking ingredient which adds a lovely spicy flavor to baked goods. It is a mix of cinnamon, ground coriander, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice in varying quantities.
Caster sugar is a fine granulated sugar. You could use regular granulated sugar, but I suggest you blitzing it for a few seconds in a food processor to make it a bit finer. Normally in the U.K. caster sugar is the preferred granulated sugar used in baking. It comes in both golden and white options. The golden is a bit less processed.
You can omit the mixed spice if you wish and use 1 tsp of vanilla extract in its place. Add it with the egg. You could also use a mix of vanilla and lemon extract in equal parts.
You could add a couple of dessert spoons of finely chopped citrus peel to the mix for a fruitier version, as well as some freshly grated orange zest. Both are lovely additions.
Make Your Own Self Raising Flour:
You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour.
Make Your Own Mixed Spice:
You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and allspice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKE SLICES
This cake goes together a bit different than most cakes in that you need to rub the flour and butter together before you add anything else. As they are in equal amounts, they do form a bit of a paste. Not to worry though. This is just as it should be!
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking tin and line with some baking paper. Set aside.Sift the flour into a bowl along with the salt. Drop in the butter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips. It will end up a bit like a paste, but don't worry that is as it should be.Stir in the sugar and the mixed spice, mixing well together and then stir in the dried fruit.
Stir in the beaten egg along with the milk, adding only enough milk to give you a soft droppable batter.
Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top over using an offset spatula or the back of a metal spoon.Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack to cool completely before dusting with more sugar (if desired), lifting out and cutting into slices to serve.
This is delicious as is but is also really decadent if you butter it. Oh, my, my . . .Put the kettle on because you will want to enjoy a nice hot cup of tea with this one! It will keep in a tightly covered container for 5 to 6 days. Delicious!
If you are a fan of enjoying something along with a hot drink and you enjoy traditional British bakes, you might also enjoy the following!
SIMPLE BRITISH MALT LOAF - This delicious loaf is lovely and squidgy, filled with loads of fruit and low in fat. It is a real British favorite of mine. Malt loaf is a sweet quick bread, made with malt extract, lots of raisins and whole grain flours. It has a chewy dense texture and is beautiful served sliced and spread with butter along with a nice hot cup of tea. It is also a great keeper1
VINTAGE LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE - Who doesn't enjoy a nice moist slice of lemon drizzle cake! Not me, that's who! I love any lemon drizzle cake and this vintage recipe is one of the best! Most modern lemon drizzle cakes are baked as loaves and will have a crunchy lemon drizzle on top. Those are mighty tasty for sure. this one is baked in a single round layer and topped with a sticky lemon syrup while still warm. It soaks into the cake adding to its scrumptiousness!
Yield: 8 slicesAuthor: Marie Rayner
Old Fashioned Tea Cake Slices
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 MinThis is an old, old recipe for a delicious tea cake that is warmly spiced and studded with plenty of raisins and dried currants. Dusted with fine sugar once cold, it is delightful cut into slices and served with a hot cup of tea.Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1/2 TBS (115g) self rising flour (see notes)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice (see notes)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS (115g) caster sugar (finely granulated sugar, or fruit sugar)
- 1/4 cup (47g) sultana raisins
- 1/4 cup (47g) raisins
- 1/4 cup (47g) dried currants
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk, or as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking tin and line with some baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour into a bowl along with the salt. Drop in the butter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips. It will end up a bit like a paste, but don't worry that is as it should be.
- Stir in the sugar and the mixed spice, mixing well together and then stir in the dried fruit.
- Stir in the beaten egg along with the milk, adding only enough milk to give you a soft droppable batter.
- Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top over using an offset spatula or the back of a metal spoon.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack to cool completely before dusting with more sugar (if desired), lifting out and cutting into slices to serve.
- This is delicious as is but is also really decadent if you butter it. Oh, my, my . . .
Notes
Make Your Own Self Raising Flour:
You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour.
Make Your Own Mixed Spice:
You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
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