Tea-steeped Irish brak

Tea-steeped Irish brak

Ingredients

• 2 teabags
• 500ml (2 cups) boiling water
• 500g dried fruit cake mix
• 30ml (2 tbsp) sunflower oil
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 300g (1 cups) sticky brown sugar
• 480g (4 cups) cake flour
• 20ml (4 tsp) baking powder
• 5ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
• 5ml (1 tsp) ground mixed spice
• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

Method

Steep the teabags in boiling water in a large mixing bowl until you have a strong brew. Soak the fruit cake mix in the tea with the teabags overnight.

The next day, discard the teabags and add oil, eggs and sugar to the tea mixture. Mix well. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together, add to the batter and mix well. Fold in vanilla essence.

Spoon batter into two medium loaf pans lined with baking paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven at 160C for 60-70 minutes.

Makes 2 loaves