Bara Brith (Tea Bread or Fruit Loaf)

Bara Brith, Scottish tea bread or fruit loaf, are all names for a sweet bread which one would have with a cup of tea. However, this is even made using tea! So put the kettle on and make an extra strong pot of tea!

You also won’t believe how easy this Bara Brith tea bread is to make.

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Just soak the dried fruit with tea and sugar the night before–the next morning, throw in the egg, flour and baking powder and bake! It’s similar in taste and texture to a clootie dumpling (recipe for that one to come). Bara Brith is so moist and absolutely perfect to have with a cup of tea.

The next time you have a leftover tea in your pot, remember that you can make this Bara Brith. Scottish tea bread is super easy to make! I usually soak the dried fruit overnight, then add the egg, flour and raising agent the next morning, and throw it in a pan–done! However, you can soak the fruit in the morning and bake later in the afternoon.

Another famous Welsh recipe: Welsh cakes are absolutely more-ish!

Did I mention there’s no butter in this recipe? Save your butter for making shortbread.

Need to make this tea bread gluten free? I’ve got you covered!

What is Bara Brith?

Bara brith is a Welsh fruit bread, however, there are many similar versions across the British Isles and Ireland. The words translate to “speckled bread.” The recipes are all similar, like versions of a fruit cake in the US.

Here’s a more traditional fruit cake that’s traditional for Easter, a SImnel cake features marzipan.

Scottish tea bread is made without yeast, Bara Brith can be made the same way, or with yeast, and Irish barmbrack uses yeast. A traditional English tea loaf is also made without yeast.

You may also like this Scottish Fruit Slice recipe!

Here’s the Bara Brith recipe from a website called Glesga Pals (Glesga is Glaswegian for Glasgow).

*TIPS~

1. Use 12 ounces (just under 2 1/4 c) total of dried fruit. I have made this countless times and love using orange flavored cranberries with raisins and sultanas which is really good! I used dried pineapple and DID NOT like it.
2. Also, the stronger the tea, the darker the bread will be.
3. I’ve also used 8 oz of tea and 2 0z of brandy, but honestly couldn’t tell the difference in the outcome.

Bara Brith (Scottish Tea Loaf)

recipe slightly adapted from Glesga Pals Dazzle’s Mammy (mother)   makes one loaf

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

• Zante currants (not blackcurrants)
• raisins
• golden raisins (Sultanas)
• brown sugar
• hot black tea
• egg
• all purpose flour
• baking powder

Directions

Put all the dried fruit into a bowl with the brown sugar and pour the hot tea over the top. Cover and let stand on the counter overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)

Butter and flour the inside of a loaf tin and set aside.

Pour the fruit/tea mixture into a large bowl.

Next, add the beaten egg.

Then add the flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.

Pour the Bara Brith mixture into the prepared pan and place into preheated oven.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove cake from pan and place on cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Serve the Scottish tea bread (Bara Brith) with a hot cup of tea. You could even toast it the next day and spread it with butter. I also had a friend from Scotland who said she fried it in the morning (like Clootie Dumpling) and absolutely raved about eating it that way. (It’s a Scottish thing).

Tea lover? Try Taylor Swift’s chai cookie recipe.

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Scottish Tea Bread (Fruit Loaf)

Servings: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 8 minutes minutes

Also known as Bara Brith, this bread is so easy to make, and contains no butter.

4.9 from 101 votes

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Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• ⅔ cup Zante currants (not blackcurrants)
• ¾ cup raisins
• ¾ cup golden raisins (Sultanas)
• 1 ¼ cup dark brown sugar (soft)
• 10 oz hot black tea
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour sifted
• 2 tsp baking powder

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Put all the dried fruit into a bowl with the brown sugar and pour the hot tea over the top. Cover and let stand on the counter overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)
• Butter and flour the inside of a loaf tin and set aside.
• Place the fruit mixture into a large bowl and add the beaten egg, flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan and place into preheated oven. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove cake from pan and place on cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing. Serve with a hot cup of tea.

Notes

• Soak the fruit in tea and orange juice or tea and whisky for a wee twist.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 loaf | Calories: 2.849kcal | Carbohydrates: 686g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 1.094mg | Potassium: 3.23mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 392g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 932mg | Iron: 20mg

Did you Make this Recipe?

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Author: Christina Conte (adapted from a Glesga pals recipe)

Course Bread, Cookies & Pastries

Cuisine Scottish

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