Author Notes
I like my tea strong, milky and sweet. Adapted from my XYZ Cake here in the archives, and inspired by the Yorkshire Tea Loaf I saw at Betty's online, this cake is just begging to be dunked. It's moist and buttery, but holds up well to a quick plunge, and then down the hatch it goes, very easily.
Zest your lemon before cutting it up for the hot toddy. —mrslarkin
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Ingredients
- the hot toddy soak
-
1 ounce
bourbon
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1 tablespoon
honey
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1/4
of a whole lemon, juiced
-
6 ounces
boiling water
-
1
tea bag (Yorkshire Gold is my favorite)
-
1 cup
assorted dried fruits (I use raisins, currants, tart cherries, cranberries)
- the cake
-
1/2 cup
plain yogurt (I use nonfat Greek-style)
-
1
large whole egg
-
1
large egg yolk
-
1/8 cup
reserved soaking liquid
-
1 1/8 cups
all-purpose unbleached flour
-
1 cup
granulated sugar
-
1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
1 teaspoon
baking powder
-
grated zest of one whole lemon
-
4 ounces
unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small chunks, room temperature
-
confectioner's sugar for the icing
Directions
- the hot toddy soak
-
Put the kettle on.
-
Combine all ingredients, except fruit, in a large measuring cup. Let tea steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bag and add fruit. Cover with plastic wrap. Let fruit plump for an hour or so.
-
Drain fruit and set aside, reserving liquid for the cake and the icing.
- the cake
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan and line it with a piece of parchment, with the some parchment overhang. This will help you remove the cake from the pan later.
-
Stir together the yogurt, eggs and soaking liquid. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and lemon zest.
-
Add butter and half of the yogurt/egg mixture. Mix on low until moistened. Increase to medium for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
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Add half of the remaining yogurt/egg mixture and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the rest of the yogurt/egg mixture. Scrape.
-
Gently fold in the strained fruit.
-
Spread the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool slightly, and remove from pan.
-
FOR THE ICING:
Place remaining soaking liquid in a small bowl. Stir in the confectioner's sugar by the spoonful, until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency. If you need more liquid, supplement with more bourbon or lemon juice, or both.
-
Drizzle the icing on top of the cake. Invite some friends for afternoon tea.
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