Nectarine, apricot and earl grey tea loaf

ingredients | serves 10 | time 1 hour 30 mins plus infusing

130ml whole milk • 3 earl grey tea bags • 100g dried apricots, finely chopped • 90g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing • 2 large, ripe nectarines • 110g golden caster sugar • 2 large eggs • ½ lemon, zest • 225g self raising flour • pinch freshly grated nutmeg • 1 tbsp apricot jam

step 1

In a small pan, bring the milk to almost boiling point. Take off the heat and add the tea bags; infuse for 5 minutes. Add the chopped apricots and set aside for another 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing them out well, and discard. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 900g loaf tin and line the base with baking parchment. Slice 2 large ‘cheeks’ from each nectarine and slice very finely; dice the remaining flesh. Set both aside separately.

step 2

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the lemon zest. Sift over the flour and nutmeg, then fold in. Add the apricot mixture and the diced nectarine, then fold to a thick batter. Tip into the loaf tin and smooth the top.

step 2

Fan out the nectarine slices to make a haphazard pattern on top, covering as much of the batter as possible. Bake for about 1 hour, until golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (loosely cover the cake with baking parchment if it colours too quickly while cooking). Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Put the apricot jam in a small pan with a splash of water and heat gently until loosened, then brush over the top of the cake. Cut into slices to serve.