Welsh Barmbrack

A teatime favourite I grew up with and a cake my Mother loved to make as it is so easy and so delicious. Barmbrack being a traditional afternoon Welsh tea cake, is bursting with fruit which has been soaked overnight in strong black tea. It is slowly baked and served with lashings of butter! A true king among fruit loaves and to be enjoyed by all the family. Ah bless, happy memories.

12 slices

Overnight plus 10 mins mixing

2 hrs

150ºC

Ingredients

500g mixed dried fruit

- raisins, sultanas, dried peel
200g dark soft brown sugar
250g self-raising flour

- sifted
1 egg

- beaten
200ml strong black tea

Instructions

Night before baking:
01 Soak dried fruit and brown sugar over night in the black tea.
Prepare baking tin:
02 On day of baking lightly grease (butter or oil) a 10cm x 20cm loaf tin, and line with baking paper.
Make cake:
03 Add the sieved flour and beaten egg to the soaked dried fruit mixture. Mix well. Add a little extra tea if mixture too dry.
04 Spoon into the prepared loaf tin. Bake in a slow oven for up to 2 hours, preferably on the middle shelf of the oven.
Cool and store:
05 Allow to cool in the tin 10 minutes before turning out onto cake wrack. When cold store in airtight container or wrap with foil. Leave overnight before eating.
Serve:
06 Delicious thickly sliced and smothered with fresh butter.

Notes

This fruit loaf improves with time and will keep for up to one week – that’s if you have not eaten it all by then! Also delicious when toasted and enjoyed with butter and your favourite jam. Equally as delicious without the butter and jam.