This one-bowl tea bread from Mary Berry is tender, fragrant and simple to assemble

My dad defers to my mom in all things baking, save one exception: He always wants raisins. Whether the recipe calls for them or not. More raisins!

Naturally, this inclination seems to be hereditary, as my son is crazy about them. He plucks them out of oatmeal and cinnamon swirl bread and, now, this orange tea bread from Mary Berry.

I pounced on this recipe for a number of reasons – and despite the fact that two of my editors are avowed raisin haters. The fact that it is chock-full of raisins and other dried fruit was a natural draw. Then my Anglophile instincts kicked in, as the bread (really a quick bread) features tea as a main ingredient and a perfect beverage pairing. And, of course, Mary Berry. The British queen of baking, former “Great British Baking Show” judge and personal idol of mine (I nearly fainted when I interviewed her last year about Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding cake). Her new cookbook, which is actually an updated compilation of two earlier books, is all about fast and easy “bakes in minutes.”

This particular recipe requires significant inactive time for soaking the dried fruit in the tea overnight and then an hour in the oven to bake, which I didn’t mind because everything comes together in a single bowl with a few quick stirs. The end result is a bread with a moist, tender crumb and lovely orange flavor. Think good fruitcake, but lighter and brighter.

It’s also an appealing recipe to customize based on your own tastes. As much as I loved using a whole cup of raisins, swapping half of them for candied orange peel nicely accented the orange zest in the bread. Currants are a great addition, too, but feel free to use this recipe as a template, swapping in your choice of tea, dried fruit and citrus zest. I’m looking forward to trying the bread many more times with the different loose-leaf teas in my embarrassingly large collection of tins.

As an added bonus, your house will smell amazing as the bread bakes. For the best texture, don’t cut into it right away once it’s done, hard as that might be to resist. I do, however, encourage you to start slicing while it’s still a bit warm to the touch. Serve it with a fresh pot of tea, and you might find yourself using the extra to go straight into your next loaf.

Mary Berry’s Orange Tea Bread

Active: 25 mins | Total: 1 hour 25 mins, plus overnight soak for the dried fruit

10 to 12 servings (makes one 8-inch round loaf)

This is a simple fruit-studded tea bread with a tender crumb and lovely orange flavor. Everything comes together in a single bowl with a few quick stirs. Not only is the tea a starring ingredient, you can’t go wrong with a thick slice, eaten plain or with a bit of butter or marmalade, served alongside a cuppa.

Mary Berry’s recipe is beautiful as written, but feel free to use it as a template, swapping in your choice of tea, dried fruit and citrus zest.

You’ll need an 8-inch round cake pan for this recipe. We also tested it in a 9-inch pan; the bread will bake faster (start checking at about 45 minutes) and its texture might be a bit drier than the 8-inch bread.

Make Ahead: The fruit, sugar and orange zest need to soak overnight in the tea. The texture of the bread is best the day it is made, but leftovers hold up well for a few days at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. (Pop a slice in the microwave for about 10 seconds for more of that just-baked texture and warmth.)

1 cup (150 grams) dried currants

1/2 cup (75 grams) seedless golden raisins

1/2 cup (75 grams) diced candied orange peel (may substitute additional golden raisins)

3/4 cup (150 grams) packed light brown sugar

Finely grated zest of 2 navel oranges (1 tablespoon)

1 1/4 cups hot black tea (brewed)

2 cups (283 grams) flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 large egg, beaten

Combine the currants, golden raisins, candied orange peel, brown sugar and orange zest in a mixing bowl, then pour in the hot tea. Stir well, and cover with a plate to keep the heat in. Let the mixture stand (macerate) overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Add the flour, baking powder and egg to the soaked fruit mixture, stirring to form a very thick batter.

Scrape the batter into the cake pan, smooth the top and bake (middle rack) for about an hour, or until the tea bread is nicely browned and has slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan. A skewer or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean.

Invert the bread onto a wire rack so you can discard its parchment paper, then turn it right side up on the rack. Cool until barely warm, or room temperature, before cutting into wedges for serving.

Nutrition (based 12 servings) | Calories: 210; Total Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 80 mg; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 24 g; Protein: 4 g.

(Adapted from “Fast Cakes: Easy Bakes in Minutes,” by Mary Berry, Quercus, 2019.)