Irish Tea Cake with Raisins (Print)
A tender Irish tea cake filled with juicy raisins, ideal for a comforting morning or afternoon snack.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/2 cup whole milk
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
09 - 1 cup raisins
10 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
→ For Serving
11 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest, if using.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Gently fold in the raisins until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy with butter and jam for an authentic Irish touch.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Its the kind of cake that makes your whole house smell like comfort and welcome
- The texture is incredibly tender, never dry, even days after baking
- You probably have everything in your kitchen right now
- It takes about ten minutes to throw together before the oven does the rest
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients will make or break this cake, so plan ahead and leave everything out for an hour
- Overmixing after adding the flour creates a tough, rubbery texture that defeats the whole purpose
- The cake is done when it pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan, even if the toothpick test shows a few moist crumbs
- Letting it cool completely before slicing prevents it from crumbling and falling apart
03 -
- Butter and flour your pan thoroughly, even when using parchment, to guarantee easy release
- Grate the lemon zest before you juice the lemon, if you need the juice for something else
- If the top browns too quickly, tent the cake loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes