Spicy Fruit Loaf

A slice of this goes down very well with a cup of tea when you feel that little slump in the afternoon. It’s really easy to make and you can use whatever combination of dried fruit you want – I do like to whack some cherries in there. This loaf smells amazing as it comes out of the oven, but hold off if you possibly can as it’s even better if it’s kept for a couple of days to mature. Just saying.

A spicy fruit loaf, from the Best of the Hairy Bikers' cookbook, rests in parchment paper on a wooden cutting board next to a bread knife.

Spicy Fruit Loaf | 📸 Andrew Hayes-Watkins

Info

Serves
4
Prep time
A good several hours with overnight soaking
Cooking time
60–75 minutes

Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

  • 150g sultanas or raisins
  • 100g currants
  • 100g glacé cherries, halved
  • 50g prunes, roughly chopped
  • 350ml hot strong tea
  • 2 balls of stem ginger, finely chopped (optional)
  • 100g light brown soft sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 300g wholemeal or white self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • pinch of salt

Method

  1. Put all the dried fruit into a large bowl and pour over the tea – there should be enough to completely submerge the fruit. Cover and leave to soak for several hours, or preferably overnight. The fruit will swell up and the liquid will have thickened to a syrup.

  2. When you are ready to bake the loaf, preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas 3 and line a large (900g) loaf tin with baking paper.

  3. Stir the stem ginger, if using, into the fruit, followed by the sugar and the eggs. Sprinkle over the flour with the spice and a good pinch of salt, then stir everything together – the mixture should have a slow dropping consistency.

  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 60–75 minutes. Start checking after an hour – the loaf should have shrunk away from the sides and be firm but springy when you press it. Leave it to cool in the tin.

  5. Remove the loaf from the tin once cool, wrap it in foil and leave it for a day or so before eating it, if possible. The top will become slightly glossy and sticky in that time. This keeps well in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.