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Barmbrack – Báirín Breac

Báirín Breac, also known as Barmbrack, is literally translated as Speckled Loaf. It is a moist Irish fruit loaf cooked with delicious spices and loaded with dried vine fruits. More of a cake than bread these days, Báirín Breac is traditionally a yeasted loaf enhanced with a little sugar, spices and dried fruits. 

Makes 1 x 900g/2lb loaf or 2 x 450g/1lb loaves

Course afternoon tea, Morning Coffee, treat
Cuisine Irish
Keyword Fruit loaf, tea loaf
Author Susan

Ingredients

  • 250ml tea, I use English Breakfast
  • 50ml Irish Whiskey (or more tea)
  • 350g mixed dried fruit
  • 50g glacé cherries, halved
  • 1 egg or 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons luke-warm water 
  • 100g soft brown sugar
  • 225g plain/all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to fan 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and grease and line 1 x 900g/2lb loaf tin or 2 x 450g/1lb loaf tins, Alternatively use cake tin liners.

  3. The day before you bake the cake: prepare the dried fruit, if necessary, and measure directly into a mixing bowl. Pour the tea and whiskey over the fruit. Cover and leave until the following day, or for a minimum of 6 hours.

  4. When you are ready to make the cake: if using a flax egg, mix the ground flax seed with the luke-warm water. Leave to thicken for 5 minutes.

  5. Add the sugar and egg/flax egg to the fruit and tea and mix well.

  6. Fold in the remaining ingredients.

  7. Transfer to a lined 900g/2lb loaf tin or 2 x 450g/1lb loaf tins and level the surface.

  8. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 50 minutes – 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cooked. The cooking time will depend on the size of the tin and your oven. It is cooked when a knife or toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

  9. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

  10. Delicious served sliced with salted Irish butter.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • measuring jug
  • mixing bowl 
  • 1 x 900g/2lb loaf tin or 2 x 450g/1lb loaf tins, greased and lined with baking parchment or use a cake tin liner