Earl Grey, Lemon, and Fruit Cakes

Makes 6

Hands-on Time 50 minutes (plus overnight for soaking the fruit)

Baking Time 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp loose leaf Earl Grey tea (divided)

• 200g raisins and currants

• 3 tbsp plain flour (for dusting)

• 140g caster sugar (divided)

• 90g unsalted butter (softened)

• 1 large egg

• 140g self-raising flour (sieved)

• 1 lemon

• 150g icing sugar

Equipment

• Saucepan

• Small sieve

• Measuring jug

• Clingfilm

• Bundtlette tin (6 moulds)

• Pastry brush

• 2 microwaveable bowls

• Microwave

• Wooden spoon

• Food processor or coffee grinder

• Large bowl

• Spatula

• Micro-grater

• Spoon

• Cake tester or skewer

• Hand juicer

• Small whisk

• Mixing bowl

• Piping bag with fine circular nozzle

Method

1. Prepare the tea-soaked fruit

• Boil 170ml water with ½ tbsp tea leaves. Steep for 15 minutes, then strain 140ml of tea into a jug.

• Add the raisins and currants to the tea, cover with clingfilm, and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prepare the tin

• Melt 20g butter in the microwave and brush it into every crevice of the bundtlette tin.

• Dust each mould with ½ tbsp plain flour, tapping out the excess.

3. Make the cake batter

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

• Grind ½ tbsp tea leaves with 70g sugar in a food processor until fine. Add to a large bowl.

• Pulse another ½ tbsp tea leaves until coarse and set aside in a small bowl.

• Cream the remaining butter and tea-sugar mixture in the large bowl. Beat in the egg.

• Fold in the self-raising flour, then add the soaked fruit and tea. Mix until combined.

• Grate half the lemon zest into the batter and fold in. Grate the remaining zest into the coarse tea mixture and mix gently.

4. Bake the cakes

• Divide the batter evenly among the moulds, smoothing the tops.

• Bake on the middle shelf for 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

5. Make the tea syrup

• While the cakes bake, combine 100ml water, 70g sugar, and ½ tbsp tea leaves in a saucepan. Dissolve the sugar, bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

• Prick the baked cakes and spoon the syrup over them, avoiding tea leaves.

6. Cool and decorate

• Cool the cakes in the tin for 30 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack.

• Mix the icing sugar with 1 tbsp lemon juice, adding more juice (1 tsp at a time) until thick but not runny.

• Pipe the icing along the creases of each cake. Sprinkle with the lemon-infused tea mixture.

Enjoy!