12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) butter or
margarine, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
3 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup diced candied orange peel or mixed
peel (available in specialty food shops)
Method :
Preheat the
oven to 325F. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans. In a
large bowl combine the honey, butter, eggs, milk and lemon or lime juice
with a wooden spoon until well blended. In a separate bowl, stir
together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Add the flour mixture
to the honey mixture and beat until light and creamy. Mix in the walnuts
and orange peel. Pour into the prepared loaf pans, spreading the batter
evenly. Tap the pan bottoms sharply against a hard surface a few times
to settle the batter.
Bake for 1
hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
Cool the loaves in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes; then
turn them out of the pans and cool completely on the racks.
Tea loaves
are usually easy to slice and not too sweet.
