Irish barmbrack (fruit loaf)
This fruit loaf (barmbrack/ Irish brack) is an incredibly easy classic tea-time treat; moist and delicious.
Servings: 12 slices, approx (1 loaf)
Calories: 136kcal
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Ingredients
- 8 oz mixed fruit (see notes)
- 1 cup black tea cold
- ¾ cup soft brown sugar
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 8 oz self raising flour or 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus 2 ¼tsp baking powder and a ¼ tsp, rounded, of salt
Instructions
- Put the fruit into a bowl with the tea and sugar, stir to dissolve sugar and leave to soak overnight.
- Preheat oven to 325F/160C and grease and/or line a loaf tin (approx 8 ½ x 4 ½in/ 21 x 11cm, sometimes called a 1lb tin).
- Add the egg and the flour (or flour, baking powder and salt) to the fruit and tea mixture and mix until combined but try not to overmix.
- Tip the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the top a little and bake for 1 ½hours.
Video
Notes
If you can't find mixed fruit (UK-style, as discussed further above) then I suggest using 7oz/200g mix of raisins, golden raisins (sultanas), currants - any 2 is good or all 3 (should come to around 1 ¼ cups) - and 1oz/30g chopped candied peel or dried papaya (around 2tbsp). If using papaya, make sure you cut it very small as it does swell up quite a lot. Some mixed fruit has glace cherries in the mix - personally I don't like them in this but to your own taste.
You can also use a slightly larger loaf tin for this (as in some of the photos, I use a 9x5in (23x13cm) tin), it will just give a slightly shallower loaf. Be aware the loaf does rise quite a bit in baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 66mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.4mg