Spiced Chai Tea Loaf (Printable)

Moist loaf packed with chai spices and brewed tea, perfect for warming breakfast or afternoon tea.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tea

01 - 0.85 cup strong brewed black tea (Assam or English Breakfast)

→ Dried Fruit

02 - 0.44 cup raisins
03 - 0.26 cup chopped dried apricots
04 - 0.18 cup sultanas

→ Dry Ingredients

05 - 2 cups self-raising flour
06 - 0.6 cup light brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
10 - 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11 - 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
12 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom
13 - 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
14 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

15 - 2 large eggs
16 - 0.33 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven to 350°F. Grease and line a standard loaf pan with a 2-pound capacity.
02 - Combine raisins, apricots, and sultanas in a bowl. Pour hot brewed tea over fruit, cover, and let soak for 15 minutes.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Add soaked fruit with tea to the wet mixture and stir gently.
06 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Slice and enjoy plain or with a small amount of butter.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The loaf stays incredibly moist thanks to steeping the fruit in hot tea, which feels like a secret technique you've stumbled upon
  • Those warming chai spices work magic without being overpowering, creating something that tastes like comfort tastes
  • It's foolproof enough for beginners but impressive enough to serve guests who'll ask for the recipe
02 -
  • Don't skip the fruit soaking step. That 15 minutes transforms the dried fruit from chewy to tender and lets the tea flavor seep into every piece
  • The moment you pour the wet into the dry is make-or-break. Stir just until combined. Overmixing is the enemy of tender crumb
  • Your oven's personality matters. Mine runs hot, so I check at 45 minutes. Start checking around then and remove it when a skewer comes out clean
03 -
  • Toast your spices lightly in a dry pan before grinding if using whole spices. It wakes up their essential oils and makes them taste fresher
  • Let your butter cool slightly before mixing with eggs so you don't risk scrambling them from the heat
  • If you want to make this vegan, swap the butter for coconut oil and use flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg)

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