Bara Brith

Name: Bara Brith
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Welsh
Ingredients: 350 g mixed dried fruit; 300 ml strong hot black tea; 175 g dark soft brown sugar; 250 g self-raising flour; 1.5 tsp mixed spice; 1 medium egg; 1 tsp orange zest; 1 tbsp clear honey; 50 g salted welsh butter

A traditional Welsh fruit loaf packed with tea-soaked dried fruit and warm spices. Deliciously moist, flavourful, and best served in thick slices spread with salted butter.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North Wales

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 75 min
Total: 95 min
Servings: 10
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 290 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

350 g mixed dried fruit — sultanas, raisins, and currants
300 ml strong hot black tea — such as Welsh Brew or English breakfast tea
175 g dark soft brown sugar
250 g self-raising flour
1½ tsp mixed spice — ground spice blend
1 medium egg — beaten
1 tsp orange zest — finely grated
1 tbsp clear honey — warmed, for brushing
50 g salted welsh butter — for serving

Equipment

•Large mixing bowl
•900g (2lb) loaf tin
•Greaseproof paper
•Measuring jug
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 290 kcal
fat: 3 g
carbs: 62 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 290 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the mixed dried fruit and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl.
2
Pour the hot black tea over the fruit and sugar.
3
Stir well, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel, and leave to soak overnight.
4
Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan) and line a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
5
Add the beaten egg and orange zest to the soaked fruit and stir thoroughly.
6
Sift the self-raising flour and mixed spice into the fruit mixture.
7
Fold gently with a wooden spoon until no dry pockets of flour remain.
8
Spoon the thick batter into the prepared loaf tin and level the top.
9
Bake on the middle shelf for 70 to 75 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
10
Brush the warm honey over the top of the hot loaf for a glossy crust.
11
Leave the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef's tips

Soaking the fruit overnight is essential so the loaf stays moist without needing added fat in the batter. If the top browns too quickly during baking, cover the tin loosely with a sheet of foil for the final 20 minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

self-raising flour → 250g plain flour sifted with 2 tsp baking powder
dark soft brown sugar → light brown soft sugar or muscovado sugar
strong hot black tea → Earl Grey tea or spiced chai

Storage

Store the cooled loaf wrapped in greaseproof paper inside an airtight tin at room temperature for up to one week.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature, or lightly toast thick slices under a medium grill for 2 minutes before buttering.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Skipping the overnight tea soak, which leaves the dried fruit hard and the loaf dry.
•Slicing the loaf while warm, causing it to crumble instead of slicing cleanly.
•Over-mixing the flour into the batter, making the final loaf heavy and dense.

Serving suggestions

Slice thickly and spread generously with cold, salted Welsh butter.Serve alongside a hot mug of strong black tea.Pair with a slice of sharp Welsh Caerphilly cheese for a sweet and savoury contrast.