It is starting to feel a bit Christmassy, the festive lights are going up in shops and town centres, the gingerbread lattes are back in their red cups, and we’ve had a few colder evenings. So what better than a cake with festive and warming flavours?
Dried cranberries and crystallised ginger combine with dried dates and sultanas in this slow cooker tea loaf cake. Fieriness from the ginger and sweetness from the dried fruit makes this perfect for the festive season.
Baking in a slow cooker
One of the reason I bake in the slow cooker is because you can’t end up a dry cake in the slow cooker, they stay lovely and moist, and full of flavour.
With a bake like this tea loaf, which is a simple fruit cake, its so easy to make up the ingredients then leave it to cook gently. I always have something else to do and then I can get lost in whatever I am doing without having to worry about the cake burning!
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need for this recipe; get the quantities in the recipe card further down:
- dried cranberries
- chopped dates
- crystallised ginger
- hot black tea
- orange zest
- sunflower spread or butter
- caster sugar
- eggs
- self-raising flour
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
How to make a fruit cake in the slow cooker
First soak the fruit in tea with orange zest.
Make up the cake mixture by combining the butter with the sugar, and then adding the eggs, flour and spices.
Mix in the soaked fruit. Pour the cake mixture into a silicone pan and place it in the base of your slow cooker. If you don’t have a silicone pan that fits your slow cooker, grease and line the slow cooker pot instead.
Cook on high for 1.5 to 2 hours, until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
Once baked and ready to take out of the slow cooker, it will look like this.
Enjoy a slice with a cup of tea for a great afternoon treat.
My family enjoyed this slow cooker tea loaf cake with cranberry and ginger as an after-school and work snack, and it disappeared quickly! I’ll be making it again during the festive season for sure.
More fruit cake recipes
For more fruit cake recipes to try, how about:
- Barmbrack cake from Eats Amazing
- Chai tea bread from Lancashire Food
- Slow cooker tea loaf (traditional version) from me
Recipe
Slow Cooker Tea Loaf Cake with Cranberry and Ginger
Ingredients
- 75 g sweetened dried cranberries
- 100 g dried mixed fruit
- 60 g chopped dates
- 30 g crystallised ginger chopped into small pieces
- 250 ml hot black tea
- Zest of an orange
- 50 g sunflower spread or butter
- 100 g golden caster sugar
- 1 medium free-range egg
- 165 g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
Equipment
Instructions
- Place the cranberries, mixed fruit, dates and ginger in a large bowl and pour in the hot black tea. Leave it to soak for five hours or overnight if you have more time.75 g sweetened dried cranberries, 100 g dried mixed fruit, 60 g chopped dates, 30 g crystallised ginger, 250 ml hot black tea
- Add the orange zest and mix it in.Zest of an orange
- Cream the sunflower spread or butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.50 g sunflower spread or butter, 100 g golden caster sugar
- Add the egg and beat well. Fold in the flour, cinnamon and ginger.1 medium free-range egg, 165 g self-raising flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger
- It may appear a little dry but will be fine once you add the soaked fruit.
- Pour in the soaked fruit, which will have absorbed most of the tea and now be plump and shiny.
- Mix well.
- Pour the mixture into a silicone baking pan (prepare the pan with cake release spray first).
- Place the silicone pan in your slow cooker pot (I used my large 5.7 litre slow cooker for this recipe). Pour in a little hot water around the pan.
- To prevent the top of the cake getting soggy, place a clean tea towel under the lid of the slow cooker, then replace the lid.
- Turn the slow cooker onto high and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours until a skewer comes out clean.
- Remove the silicone pan from your slow cooker and leave it to cool.
hijackedbytwins says
Oooh this looks and sounds so good! I love cranberries and this loaf sounds perfect for the time of year. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
bakingqueen74 says
Kirsty, thanks for featuring my cake this week on CookBlogShare! Lovely linky to join in with.
Lili says
Wow! Love the flavours too Lucy… sounds so yummy! 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Lili 🙂
My Little Italian Kitchen says
Hi Lucy this is a beautiful and delicious cake! Fantastic for the Christmas festivities too, love the addition of cranberries.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Alida, I love the flavours of winter and Christmas!
Grace @ Eats Amazing says
This looks fantastic – I bet it makes the house smell amazing too, I must try this!
bakingqueen74 says
It did smell great, do let me know if you try it Grace
recipesfromapantry says
I am staring at this thinking it has two of my favourite things in one so yes please.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Bintu, will send you a slice
Kevin Chambers-Paston says
Ooh, this sounds so lovely and christmassy and I just know if it’s made in the slow cooker it will be really moist too. Can’t wait to try it!
bakingqueen74 says
You’re right Kevin, very moist and yummy!
Mandy Mazliah says
I love the sound of this, packed full of lovely flavours and fruits. I don’t have a slow cooker but will definitely be trying a version of this in a conventional oven this Christmas. #CookBlogShare
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks for visiting Mandy, I do like the festive flavours
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
This sounds and looks so delicious Lucy, such wonderful flavours – so seasonal.
Angela x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Angela, I love this time of year
efwalt says
Sounds fantastic Lucy! It’s at times like this I regret getting such a small slow cooker! Though I guess I could halve the recipe!
bakingqueen74 says
It would be fine straight in a 3.5 litre one as well if you just line the pot. Is that the size you have Emma?
efwalt says
I have a diddy 1.5litre! 🙁