Pour into prepared tin(s) and bake in oven for 1 – 1 ½ hours on medium heat.

Being British means I drink a lot of tea, but I always love a treat to go with it. Add flour and beaten egg to the fruit mixture and and stir to combine. Turn on oven to 190 C / 170 C Fan / Gas 5. Leave to soak for 30min. Grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and baseline with greaseproof paper.

Leave overnight.

Here is my recipe for a low fat Victorian Fruit Tea Cake:-I have made this really simple fruit cake for years, ever since my first mother in law introduced me to sliced fruit cake with a thick layer of unsalted butter and a lovely cup of tea.

Take fruit mixture and add beaten egg, golden syrup, flour and salt and stir well (for a richer cake add up to 300mls cream if desired). Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan oven) mark 5. Line a large loaf tin.

Place all fruit in bowl. Dried fruit is soaked in tea with fresh orange zest then added to a simple cake batter and baked to perfection.

Add cold tea and mix in well. Add brown sugar. Fruity tea cake is the perfect accompaniment to a nice hot cup of tea. Bake for 1 hour in a fan-assisted oven, a little longer in a regular oven. Pour mixture in loaf tin. Put the tea in a bowl and add the dried fruit.