Black Tea Cake with Pecans and Sultanas
If you're a fan of classic tea-time treats, you won't want to miss this delicious Manor House style cake with sultanas infused with black tea! This recipe takes traditional fruit cake to the next level with the addition of fragrant and flavorful black tea! Baked to perfection with a moist and tender crumb, this cake is perfect for serving with a cup of tea or coffee for a cozy and comforting treat. With its classic flavors and elegant presentation, this Manor House style cake is sure to become a new favorite in your recipe collection!
Does Black Tea Taste Good in This Sultana Cake?
I’m using a strong black tea for this pecan and sultana cake recipe. Strongly brewed English breakfast tea is just perfect to complement the flavors of the buttery pecans and sweet dried fruits in this bake.
English breakfast tea is a traditional strong black tea blended with different teas from around the world such as Ceylon, Assam and East Africa. English breakfast tea is typically enjoyed first thing in the day with a dash of milk and a spoonful of sugar for a morning boost of rich and caffeinated tea.
Is a Manor House Cake the Same as a Sultana Cake?
A manor house cake is a rather splendid creation made by Mr Kipling. Mr Kipling’s manor house cake is what gave me the inspiration for this black tea infused cake with pecans and sultanas. The two cakes are different but share lots of similarities.
What's the Difference Between a Raisin and a Sultana and a Current?
The difference between and raisin, a sultana and a current is very slight but can have a big impact on the final outcome of your tea cake. Raisins, sultanas and currents are all dried grapes but come from different varieties. Currents are usually a little smaller and harder in texture. My preference is to always use plump sweet sultanas, however, if you prefer raisins, feel free to use raisins instead of sultanas.
How do you Stop Sultanas From Sinking in Your Tea Cake?
To stop the sultanas and pecans from sinking in your tea cake, here’s what I suggest to do. Before adding them to the mix, simply toss the dried fruit and chopped nuts in a spoonful of flour. This should help the heavy ingredients stay in place for baking to avoid all the fruit and nuts sitting on the bottom of your cake.
Making This Sultana Tea Cake from Scratch
Making this black tea infused sultana and pecan cake from scratch is super easy to do. Firstly, brew the tea in freshly boiled water and allow to steep for no longer than ten minutes. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, tea and then the dry ingredients. Add the sultanas and pecans, dust them in a little flour if you are concerned about them sinking. Pour the mixture into your cake tin and then bake in a preheated oven for up to 50 minutes. Your cake will be golden brown and springy to touch when baked. Top with icing and more chopped pecans, this is purely optional but I would totally recommend! Serve with hot tea, I love a huge slice of this cake with a coconut chai latte. Alternatively, serve this delicious cake with a hot Starbucks-like pumpkin spice latte made with chai.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 12)
4 Heaped Teaspoons of English Breakfast Tea
1 Cup (225g) of Butter or Palm Shortening/Butter Alternative
1 Cup (200g) of Caster Sugar
2 Cups (250g) of Plain Flour
4 Eggs
2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
2/3 Cup (85g) of Pecans - Roughly Chopped
2/3 Cup (100g) of Sultanas
Optional: Icing Sugar and Chopped Pecans to Decorate
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/Gas Mark 4, grease and line a round tin with parchment paper.
Brew the English breakfast tea in 1/2 cup (4fl oz) of freshly boiled water and allow the leaves to steep for 5-7 minutes. Strain the leaves and set aside to cool.
To make the cake, cream together the butter/palm shortening and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, add the vanilla extract and the cooled tea.
Slowly sieve in the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold in.
Lastly, fold in the chopped pecans and sultanas.
Pour into your lined tin and bake in the oven for around 50 minutes. An inserted skewer will come out clean when the cake is fully cooked.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Top with optional icing sugar and chopped pecans and enjoy with a hot cuppa :)
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