When watching The Great British menu a few years ago Bryn Williams made Bara Brith for his dessert. This traditional Welsh cake was the first thing that I ordered when we had morning coffee in Little Haven in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is a spiced fruit cake and really tasty. As soon as we were home I looked through all of my recipe books to find a recipe for Bara Brith. I prefer to use my recipe books as I have paid for them and need to get some use from the recipe book, other than getting the writer to sign them for me. I turned to Brian Turner’s Favourite British Recipes and followed his recipe for Bara Brith (page 175) to the tee, using up the last of my fresh yeast. The first stage worked quite well, given the fact that I had to use my heater to prove the dough as it was a really cold day, but the second stage proved to be a total disaster. A dough did not form with the addition of the liquid ingredients, and instead I had a nice batter. Rather than shaping this into a round tin as per the method listed, I poured the batter into a loaf tin and proceeded to bake it for the required time. This resulted in a not completely cooked spiced loaf, which I cut up and dried into rusks. I then turned to the internet and found this recipe. It worked perfectly, and the Bara Brith lasted a week. We toasted some and had it with jam which was perfect for an afternoon tea time treat.
Do you order traditional cakes when you are travelling?
Bara Brith
Ingredients
- 1 black tea tea bag (I used vanilla tea)
- 225 mls boiling water
- 300 g raisins
- 150 g currants
- 75 mls whisky
- 450 g self raising flour
- 5 mls mixed spice
- 175 g fructose
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 orange, zest only
- 30 mls orange juice
- 15 g honey, plus extra for glazing
Method
- Place your tea bag into a cup and cover with boiling water
- Leave to steep for 5 minutes and then remove the tea bag
- Place into the fridge until cold
- Put the raisins and currants into a mixing bowl
- Pour over the tea and the whisky
- Cover with cling film and leave to soak overnight
- Preheat the oven to 160° Celsius
- Sift the flour and spice into the mixing bowl with the fruit and mix in
- Place the fructose, egg, orange zest and juice and the honey into a mixing bowl
- Whisk together and then add to the fruit, mixing to incorporate all of the ingredients
- Pour the mixture into a buttered loaf tin
- Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Baste the top generously with honey while still warm
- Allow to cool thoroughly before slicing
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged:
- one year ago – The Dying Hours
- two years ago – Date Bars
- three years ago – Hake with Anchovy Butter
- four years ago – Chicken with Shitake Mushrooms
It does look delicious. I always order traditional sweets when traveling. Sometimes I am a bit surprised, but it’s always worth it 🙂
I agree, it is always worth it 🙂
Yummy. Did you use the same weight of fructose as shown in your recipe?
I did use the same weight Misky 🙂
Such an interesting cake, Tandy! Sounds delicious.
Thank you Lizzy 🙂
Tandy, a slice of your Bara Brith would be perfect with my morning tea. I do try to eat traditional cakes when traveling…Germany and Austria both have some nice ones.
I shall have to read up more on the traditional cakes of Austria and Germany as my grandparents are from there 🙂
Lovely! I will definitely be making this.
Have a super day Tandy.
🙂 Mandy xo
Let me know what you think when you make it Mandy xox
I’ve never heard of this but it sounds like a great breakfast loaf!
Perfect for breakfast Joanne 🙂
This Welsh cake looks lovely!
Glad it worked out second recipe around 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Uru 🙂
Oh you’ve made me crave fruit bread now. Perfect for this weather with a cup of tea. xx
I could have used a slice yesterday 🙂
I love cake or bread recipes with raisins and tea and spice… this looks and sounds divine!
It is awesome and I wonder if you could make GF option?
Hi Tandy, this sounds so interesting, so clever of you to change gears and make the most out of the batter. Looks delicious!
Thank you Cheri 🙂
Beautiful – this bring back happy childhood memories as one of my grandfathers was Welsh and one of my great aunts always used to make this. She used to cut it really thin and spread butter thickly on it! Happy days 🙂 You made a great job of yours and well done for persevering.
I love the idea of butter with the bara brith instead of some butter on a thick slice 🙂
So pleased that others watch The Great British Menu – and this loaf looks great.
I love the show as it usually features some chefs I think are fantastic 🙂
I’m so excited about this cake because I’ve never heard of it before so I love reading about new cakes and food. Thanks Tandy! 😀
This is one I could make over and over again 🙂
We allway order local traditional fare when ever we travel, and this Bara Brith sounds utterly delicious Tendy! You are brilliant for changing the recipe and baking that lovely loaf 🙂
J+C
Thank you so much J&C 🙂
Never soak dry fruits ontea instead of rhum before,
this englich bara brith is must try recipe!!!
Hope you enjoy it Dedy 🙂
This cake with a little coffee looks like the perfect way to start my day. I don’t order traditional cakes when traveling because I never see such items on the menu, or at least where I travel! Looks delightful though..
This is one worth baking at home Laura 🙂
I agree re: cookbooks. It’s just too easy to turn to the internet and leave the books languishing on the shelves. Today I’nm having a go at marmalade from an old book that doesn’t even have pictures…. I have faith but time will tell!
I am so looking forward to that recipe Fiona!