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Welsh bara brith fruit loaf sliced on a wooden board with salted butter and a cup of black tea

Welsh Bara Brith Fruit Loaf

A traditional Welsh tea loaf made with overnight tea-soaked fruit, mixed spice, and marmalade, baked low and slow until dark and fragrant.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 220
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit soak (start the night before)
  • 350 g mixed dried fruit (currants, raisins, sultanas)
  • 300 ml strong black tea, cooled made with 2 tea bags
  • 175 g light muscovado sugar
Batter
  • 225 g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tbsp orange marmalade heaped
  • 1 large egg beaten

Method
 

Soak the fruit
  1. Brew 300 ml of strong black tea and let it cool completely.
  2. Combine the dried fruit and muscovado sugar in a large bowl, pour over the cooled tea, and stir to combine.
  3. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or overnight, until the fruit is plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Make the batter and bake
  1. Heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F. Grease a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin and line it completely with baking parchment.
  2. Add the beaten egg and marmalade to the soaked fruit mixture and stir until combined.
  3. Sift in the self-raising flour and mixed spice, then fold gently until no dry flour remains and the batter is evenly speckled with fruit.
  4. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top with the back of a spoon.
  5. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is deep golden brown.
  6. Leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack using the parchment and cool completely.
  7. Wrap in foil and leave overnight before slicing for the best texture.

Notes

Nutrition is calculated per slice based on 10 slices and does not include butter for serving. The overnight rest is not included in the total time as it requires no active work.