Vegan Tea Loaf with Chai Spice and Walnuts

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A moist, chai spiced cake loaded with walnuts and your favourite mixture of dried fruits. Perfect with a cup of tea, this vegan cake keeps really well and is perfect for a treat during the day, or pack it up and eat it on the run.

This recipe is based on my Grandmother’s Tea Loaf recipe. Fortuitously, the original recipe needs no butter and I have simply replaced the egg with a flax seed alternative. If you are not vegan, you can use a hen’s egg instead but, either way, I cannot taste the difference. Wonderful sliced and served simply, this cake is also delicious spread with butter, or your favourite vegan alternative.

How to make Vegan Tea Loaf with Chai Spice and Walnuts

Collect all your ingredients together:

• chai tea, I used rooibos but you can use your favourite tea. Sometimes I use English Breakfast
• mixed dried fruit – I used raisins, currants, dates and cranberries. Sultanas, chopped figs, mixed chopped peel, glacé cherries and chopped figs are also delicious.
• ground flax seed mixed with luke-warm water OR 1 large egg
• plain/all-purpose flour
• caster sugar
• walnuts, chopped
• chai spice
• baking powder
• fine salt
• walnut halves to decorate the top of the cake

How to make this cake:

1. Either –
   • the night before you make the cake: prepare the dried fruit and measure directly into a mixing bowl. Pour 300ml boiling water over the tea bag in a jug, allow to infuse for a few minutes and then pour over the fruit. Cover and leave until the following day, until you are ready to make the cake. OR
   • one hour before you make the cake: prepare the dried fruit and measure directly into a saucepan. Pour 300ml boiling water over the tea bag in a jug, allow to infuse for a few minutes and then pour over the fruit. Bring to a simmer, cook for 1 minute and leave to cool for 1 hour before making the cake.
2. When you are ready to make the cake: prepare your flax egg by mixing the ground flax seed with the luke-warm water. Leave to thicken for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the tea bag and then add all the remaining ingredients to the fruit and the tea – flour, sugar, chopped walnuts, chai spice, baking powder, salt and the flax egg or hen’s egg.
4. Stir well to ensure it is all thoroughly mixed.
5. Transfer to a lined 900g/2lb loaf tin and top with some walnut halves.
6. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 – 1 hour and 15 minutes.
7. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.