Kentys Kitchen

Bara Brith (Welsh Fruitcake) Recipe

According to a knowledgeable contributor, the actual meaning of Bara Brith is ‘Speckled Bread’ and it is best described as a unique fruit loaf.

Recipe:
Soak 10oz. mixed dried fruit in 2 cups hot tea, cover and let stand overnight.

Strain the fruit, saving the liquid. Add 3 oz. brown sugar, grated rind of a lemon, 1 ¼ teaspoons pumpkin spice (or any mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice), 1 egg and 12oz. self-rising flour to the fruit.

Add the liquid a bit at a time until the batter is of soft, dropping consistency. Pour into a greased brown paper lined 2lb. loaf pan and bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes until firm to the touch.

I don’t know if this is ‘ the ‘ traditional recipe but it makes a wonderful fruit loaf ! :)

@pepsi wrote:

Bara Brith (Welsh Fruitcake) Recipe

According to a knowledgeable contributor, the actual meaning of Bara Brith is ‘Speckled Bread’ and it is best described as a unique fruit loaf.

Recipe:
Soak 10oz. mixed dried fruit in 2 cups hot tea, cover and let stand overnight.

Strain the fruit, saving the liquid. Add 3 oz. brown sugar, grated rind of a lemon, 1 ¼ teaspoons pumpkin spice (or any mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice), 1 egg and 12oz. self-rising flour to the fruit.

Add the liquid a bit at a time until the batter is of soft, dropping consistency. Pour into a greased brown paper lined 2lb. loaf pan and bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes until firm to the touch.

I don’t know if this is ‘ the ‘ traditional recipe but it makes a wonderful fruit loaf ! :)

I don’t think there is a traditional recipe as such, every family has its own version! In the north it tends to be more yeast based and bread-like but doesn’t keep well, in the south it’s more cake-like and keeps for a week or so, getting better with age – if it lasts that long! It is better if you leave it for a couple of days before eating though.

I’d say this one is American though with the mention of pumpkin spice!

I haven’t made it for ages but the recipe I learnt from my mam is below:

1lb mixed dried fruit
1/2 pint hot strong tea
2 tbsp marmalade (some recipes use dried peel but marmalade gives a nicer flavour)
1 large egg, beaten
6 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
1lb self-raising flour
honey to glaze

Soak the fruit overnight in the tea.
Next day, mix the marmalade, egg, sugar, spice and flour into the fruit and tea.
Spoon into a greased 1lb loaf tin and bake in a warm oven (gas 3, 325ºF, 170ºC) for one and three quarter hours or until the centre is cooked through.
Check from time to time that the top doesn’t brown too much, and cover with a sheet of foil or move down a shelf in the oven if necessary.
Once cooked, leave the Bara Brith to stand for 5 minutes, then tip out of the tin on to a cooling tray. Using a pastry brush, glaze the top with honey.
Serve sliced with salted butter.
Store in an airtight tin.

Using muscovado sugar gives it a depper richer flavour.
Some recipes say wholemeal flour but I think this makes it too heavy.