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.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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~
- 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.
- Also, the stronger the tea, the darker the bread will be.
- 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.
Don’t miss another post! Sign up for my FREE subscription.
Scottish Tea Bread (Fruit Loaf)
Ingredients
- 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
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
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
I still can’t believe I’ve not made this yet and yet I can still remember the simple, delicious taste of this when I was little, Christina. To think we were probably munching on this both in Scotland long before we met!
It’s flipping easy!! I make it a lot, especially when I have a big pot of tea I forgot I made! Oops!
I don’t like tea but I love tea loaf and this sounds really tasty! I really need to have a go at making one.
You just have a love the traditional cakes and loaves. Tea is so British it’s no wonder we make cake with it!
my husband hates tea. can you taste it in the loaf
It definitely flavors the bread, but I don’t think it tastes like tea when you drink it. However, that said, if your husband has only tasted tea in the US, I would say that I hate tea, too! Real tea is so much different than Lipton made with hot water. I would give it a try and see what he thinks (but just don’t use Lipton)! :)
Any tea made by dumping a bag into a mug of microwaved hot water will taste bad!!!!
Agreed!
No you cannot taste the tea at all
:)
No, you can’t!
Interesting that you describe it as a Scottish Tea Loaf. I’ve been making tea loaves all my life but never really thought about it being Scottish. Your tea loaf looks great, nice distrubtion of fruit which is what it;s all about.
Well, I think it’s made in all parts of the UK and Ireland, BUT this recipe is from a Glasgow mammy, so I know this one’s Scottish :)
Yes very true made all over the uk and Ireland.just a few I’ve come across over the years Cristina don’t know if there original .but here they are .devon tea loaf,Yorkshire brack,Irish barm,afternoon tea bread.poor mans Christmas cake,bet there’s a few more out there somewhere down the line.great blog as always.
Agreed! It is very similar to so many other loaves! Thank you, Micky!
I was born in Glasgow scotland.i was so happy too find you and all the recipes am very found of.i have been making sausage rolls with Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage.so when I found your receipt.it make sense I can’t wait to make saugage rolls the right way.
Oh you’re going to love them, Anna! They are SOOO much better with my recipe! Let me know how you like them! Thanks for the note!
I just made this Scottish Tea Loaf, My husband and I love it ! I love watching Great British Bake off , so , I started looking online for some of the things they bake, one thing lead to another, and I found you! I read your reviews carefully and I baked my loaf this morning! It is just so scrummy !! Thank you for the lovely recipe, I look forward to trying more of you recipes in the very near future!
Many Thanks and Best wishes,
Michelle
Oh, I so do love notes like yours, Michelle! Thank you so much! I’m really glad you found my site as I truly believe that classic British cuisine is so delicious; both sweet and savory! Happy you and your husband enjoyed the tea loaf, and looking forward to hearing what else you try! Happy baking! CC