In England, we love Soreen – a sticky cake made from malt extract – stay with me! I’ve made this version a little lighter than the original and it’s really easy to make …
When you read “malt extract” in the ingredients, I realise it’s not much of an everyday item. But all health shops will have it and I promise it’s worth buying. I use it a lot for baking, to spread on toast or stirred into rice pudding: my personal favourite.
Ingredients
• 110ml freshly boiled water
• 150g prunes, pitted and finely chopped
• 50g mixed dried fruit, your favourites
• 1 black tea bag (or any tea you like)
• 6 tbsps malt extract and extra to finish
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• 40g soft brown sugar
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 50ml of neutral oil
• 150g plain flour
• 40g wholemeal flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2lb loaf tin lined with baking parchment or 2 x 1lb loaf tins
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. By hand: In a large bowl, pour the boiling water over the prunes, dried fruit and tea bag, letting it all soak for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bag, then stir in the malt extract, treacle and sugar. Add the eggs, fold in the two flours, baking powder and salt until well combined. Pour the mixture into the lined tin.
3. Food processor: Add the prunes, dried fruit, boiling water and tea bag to the food processor. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then remove the tea bag. Add the malt, treacle, sugar, beaten eggs and oil, pulsing until there are still chunks of prune but everything’s mixed. Add the two flours, baking powder and salt, pulsing 2–3 times until just combined. Pour into the tin.
4. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (30–35 minutes for 1lb tins). Check with a skewer, which should come out mostly clean.
5. Once out of the oven, drizzle a little extra malt extract over the loaf as it cools for a glossy finish.
6. Allow the loaf to cool fully before slicing and slathering in butter.