Jump to Recipe This traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is the best raisin bread you’ll ever have and it’s incredibly easy to make too! It’s so addictively delicious that there’s no sense waiting for an Irish holiday to roll around to enjoy this amazing bread! Our traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is made without yeast and speckled with delicious bits of dried fruit, that has been soaked in tea overnight! Whichever way you serve this delightfully tasty bread, it’s always sheer perfection! If you’ve never heard of barmbrack, you’ve been missing out on a truly sensational treat! The baking brack will fill your house with an aroma so tantalizing that everyone that smells it will eagerly await the chime of the oven timer! I don’t know how or why I let my memory occasionally lapse on just how much I (and everyone else that ever tries it) really enjoy this fantastic traditional Irish fruit bread! I have loved making and buttering up this bread since I first saw a recipe from Mary Berry - a lady that I adore and am unashamedly an avid fan-girl of!

Jump to:✔️ Fun Facts About Barmbrack 🥘 Ingredients 🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions 📋 Recipe 💬 Comments

Such an easy and fantastic bread needs no excuse, and I hope that you and yours enjoy this sweet bread as much as my family does!! ✔️ Fun Facts About Barmbrack

Traditional Irish Barmbrack (without yeast) is Ireland’s favorite fruit cake with a long and interesting history behind it! Brack has been made for Irish holidays such as Halloween (and originating from the Celtic harvest celebration of Samhain) where the bread was called báirín breac, meaning speckled bread. This name referred to the dotted appearance of the bread with all of the chunks of dried fruit. New Year’s, where bits of the Irish Barm Brack are thrown at the back doors of homes to ward off poverty in the coming year. And of course, most recently, is still lovingly baked in homes everywhere for St. Patrick’s Day! 🥘 Ingredients Sticking with the traditional roots of this bread, I make my Irish Barm Brack without yeast. While many types of fruit are used, the most common are sultanas (AKA golden raisins), raisins, currants, cherries, and cranberries. Plain raisins are my least favorite to use in this bread, as all of the others tend to absorb the tea better and result in the best flavor. I’m using the golden raisins in my tea brack today along with dried cranberries and cherries. Tea - a good, strong-brewed tea to soak the fruit in overnight. Pick a strong black tea or a complementary tea flavor that will add richness to your brack.Fruit - a dried fruit combination of sultanas (golden raisins), raisins, and dried cherries plus some dried orange peel for a stronger orange and fruit flavor. Other fruits such as dried apricot or prunes can also be added if desired.Egg - one large egg to bind the bread and add volume.Baking Spices - you need about 2 teaspoons of your favorite warm baking spices. I use a combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for tasty perfection! My mixed spice is also ideal for this recipe!Brown Sugar - to add just the right amount of sweetness and rich perfection from the molasses content!Self-Rising Flour - to skip the yeast, we use self-rising flour in this traditional bread. To make your own self-rising flour use for each 1 cup of self-rising flour called for in a recipe. Note that in my research on traditional barmbrack recipes, very few included whiskey. However, if desired, you could certainly add a splash of Irish whiskey to the fruit while soaking. 🙂 Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!

🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions Soak the fruit. In a bowl, combine the dark steeped tea with dried fruits and dried orange peel (or orange zest), cover with cling film, and allow to soak while refrigerated overnight.Prep. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper that has been greased.Add ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the tea and fruit with egg, spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg), and brown sugar. Stir to combine thoroughly, then add all of the self-rising flour.Transfer. Mix until all of the flour is incorporated into a wet dough, then transfer the dough into your loaf pan. Bake, Cool & Serve Bake until golden. Place on the middle of your oven’s center rack and bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 1 hour then check the color of your baked bread. If the top of your bread loaf is getting too dark, cover it with aluminum foil to keep from browning too deeply.Remove from the oven. Your bread should be fully baked between 1 hour 15-30 minutes (mine are typically done at 75-80 minutes). Remove from the oven when done and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then lift out and remove the parchment paper.Cool. Allow the bread to cool fully before slicing and serving. *Baking times can vary based on the size of your loaf pan, oven temperatures, or if you baked a shaped or round loaf on a baking sheet. 🇮🇪 More Great Irish Recipes!

Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan FrostingIrish Apple CakeTraditional Irish Soda BreadPotato Leek SoupApple Blackberry Crumble 📋 Recipe

Print Recipe Leave A Comment Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It! 5 from 15 reviews

Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread)

This traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is the best raisin bread you’ll ever have and it’s incredibly easy to make too! It’s so addictively delicious that there’s no sense waiting for an Irish holiday to roll around to enjoy this amazing bread!

Author | Angela

Servings: 12 slices Calories: 221kcal Prep 10 minutes Cooking 1 hour 20 minutes Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Ingredients US CustomaryMetric1x2x3x▢ 1 cup tea (cold, strong brewed - we use Tazo Wild Orange)▢ ¾ cup golden raisins▢ ½ cup dried cranberries▢ ½ cup dried cherries▢ ½ teaspoon dried orange peel (or the zest of 1 whole large orange)▢ 1 large egg (at room temperature)▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ ½ teaspoon ground cloves▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg▢ 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)▢ 2 cups self rising flour (1 cup self rising flour equal to 1 cup all-purpose flour w/1 ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt)

InstructionsIn a bowl, combine the dark steeped tea with dried fruits and candied peel (or orange zest), cover with cling film, and allow to soak refrigerated overnight.1 cup tea, ¾ cup golden raisins, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup dried cherries, ½ teaspoon dried orange peelPreheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper that has been greased.In a large mixing bowl, combine the tea and fruit with egg, spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg) and brown sugar. Stir to combine thoroughly, then add all of the self rising flour.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 cups self rising flourMix until all of the flour is incorporated into a wet dough, then transfer the dough into your loaf pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour then check the color of your baked bread (if it is getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil to keep from browning too deeply). Your bread should be fully baked between 1 hour and 15-30 minutes (mine is typically done at 75-80 minutes). Transfer the baked loaf to a wire cooling rack to cool before slicing and serving. *Baking times can vary based on the size of your loaf pan, oven temperatures, or if you baked a shaped or round loaf on a baking sheet. Video NutritionCalories: 221kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 51g (17%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Cholesterol: 15mg (5%) | Sodium: 17mg (1%) | Potassium: 125mg (4%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 31g (34%) | Vitamin A: 200IU (4%) | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 32mg (3%) | Iron: 0.7mg (4%) Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love! Barmbrack, easy quick breads, fruit bread, Irish Barmbrack Bread, without yeast Course Bread Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Quick Bread RecipesCuisine IrishAngela @ BakeItWithLove.comAngela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love! bakeitwithlove.com/about/

This traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is the best raisin bread you’ll ever have and it’s incredibly easy to make too! It’s so addictively delicious that there’s no sense waiting for an Irish holiday to roll around to enjoy this amazing bread!

Our traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is made without yeast and speckled with delicious bits of dried fruit, that has been soaked in tea overnight!

Whichever way you serve this delightfully tasty bread, it’s always sheer perfection!

If you’ve never heard of barmbrack, you’ve been missing out on a truly sensational treat! The baking brack will fill your house with an aroma so tantalizing that everyone that smells it will eagerly await the chime of the oven timer!

I don’t know how or why I let my memory occasionally lapse on just how much I (and everyone else that ever tries it) really enjoy this fantastic traditional Irish fruit bread! I have loved making and buttering up this bread since I first saw a recipe from Mary Berry - a lady that I adore and am unashamedly an avid fan-girl of!

Such an easy and fantastic bread needs no excuse, and I hope that you and yours enjoy this sweet bread as much as my family does!!

✔️ Fun Facts About Barmbrack

Traditional Irish Barmbrack (without yeast) is Ireland’s favorite fruit cake with a long and interesting history behind it! Brack has been made for Irish holidays such as Halloween (and originating from the Celtic harvest celebration of Samhain) where the bread was called báirín breac, meaning speckled bread.

This name referred to the dotted appearance of the bread with all of the chunks of dried fruit.

New Year’s, where bits of the Irish Barm Brack are thrown at the back doors of homes to ward off poverty in the coming year. And of course, most recently, is still lovingly baked in homes everywhere for St. Patrick’s Day!

🥘 Ingredients

Sticking with the traditional roots of this bread, I make my Irish Barm Brack without yeast. While many types of fruit are used, the most common are sultanas (AKA golden raisins), raisins, currants, cherries, and cranberries.

Plain raisins are my least favorite to use in this bread, as all of the others tend to absorb the tea better and result in the best flavor. I’m using the golden raisins in my tea brack today along with dried cranberries and cherries.

  • Tea - a good, strong-brewed tea to soak the fruit in overnight. Pick a strong black tea or a complementary tea flavor that will add richness to your brack.Fruit - a dried fruit combination of sultanas (golden raisins), raisins, and dried cherries plus some dried orange peel for a stronger orange and fruit flavor. Other fruits such as dried apricot or prunes can also be added if desired.Egg - one large egg to bind the bread and add volume.Baking Spices - you need about 2 teaspoons of your favorite warm baking spices. I use a combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for tasty perfection! My mixed spice is also ideal for this recipe!Brown Sugar - to add just the right amount of sweetness and rich perfection from the molasses content!Self-Rising Flour - to skip the yeast, we use self-rising flour in this traditional bread. To make your own self-rising flour use for each 1 cup of self-rising flour called for in a recipe.

Note that in my research on traditional barmbrack recipes, very few included whiskey. However, if desired, you could certainly add a splash of Irish whiskey to the fruit while soaking. 🙂

Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!

🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

  • Soak the fruit. In a bowl, combine the dark steeped tea with dried fruits and dried orange peel (or orange zest), cover with cling film, and allow to soak while refrigerated overnight.Prep. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper that has been greased.Add ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the tea and fruit with egg, spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg), and brown sugar. Stir to combine thoroughly, then add all of the self-rising flour.Transfer. Mix until all of the flour is incorporated into a wet dough, then transfer the dough into your loaf pan.

Bake, Cool & Serve

  • Bake until golden. Place on the middle of your oven’s center rack and bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 1 hour then check the color of your baked bread. If the top of your bread loaf is getting too dark, cover it with aluminum foil to keep from browning too deeply.Remove from the oven. Your bread should be fully baked between 1 hour 15-30 minutes (mine are typically done at 75-80 minutes). Remove from the oven when done and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then lift out and remove the parchment paper.Cool. Allow the bread to cool fully before slicing and serving.

*Baking times can vary based on the size of your loaf pan, oven temperatures, or if you baked a shaped or round loaf on a baking sheet.

🇮🇪 More Great Irish Recipes!

  • Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan FrostingIrish Apple CakeTraditional Irish Soda BreadPotato Leek SoupApple Blackberry Crumble

📋 Recipe

Print Recipe Leave A Comment Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It! 5 from 15 reviews

Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread)

This traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is the best raisin bread you’ll ever have and it’s incredibly easy to make too! It’s so addictively delicious that there’s no sense waiting for an Irish holiday to roll around to enjoy this amazing bread!

Author | Angela

Servings: 12 slices Calories: 221kcal Prep 10 minutes Cooking 1 hour 20 minutes Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Ingredients US CustomaryMetric1x2x3x▢ 1 cup tea (cold, strong brewed - we use Tazo Wild Orange)▢ ¾ cup golden raisins▢ ½ cup dried cranberries▢ ½ cup dried cherries▢ ½ teaspoon dried orange peel (or the zest of 1 whole large orange)▢ 1 large egg (at room temperature)▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ ½ teaspoon ground cloves▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg▢ 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)▢ 2 cups self rising flour (1 cup self rising flour equal to 1 cup all-purpose flour w/1 ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt)

InstructionsIn a bowl, combine the dark steeped tea with dried fruits and candied peel (or orange zest), cover with cling film, and allow to soak refrigerated overnight.1 cup tea, ¾ cup golden raisins, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup dried cherries, ½ teaspoon dried orange peelPreheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper that has been greased.In a large mixing bowl, combine the tea and fruit with egg, spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg) and brown sugar. Stir to combine thoroughly, then add all of the self rising flour.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 cups self rising flourMix until all of the flour is incorporated into a wet dough, then transfer the dough into your loaf pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour then check the color of your baked bread (if it is getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil to keep from browning too deeply). Your bread should be fully baked between 1 hour and 15-30 minutes (mine is typically done at 75-80 minutes). Transfer the baked loaf to a wire cooling rack to cool before slicing and serving. *Baking times can vary based on the size of your loaf pan, oven temperatures, or if you baked a shaped or round loaf on a baking sheet. Video NutritionCalories: 221kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 51g (17%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Cholesterol: 15mg (5%) | Sodium: 17mg (1%) | Potassium: 125mg (4%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 31g (34%) | Vitamin A: 200IU (4%) | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 32mg (3%) | Iron: 0.7mg (4%) Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love! Barmbrack, easy quick breads, fruit bread, Irish Barmbrack Bread, without yeast Course Bread Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Quick Bread RecipesCuisine Irish

Angela @ BakeItWithLove.comAngela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love! bakeitwithlove.com/about/

Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It!

5 from 15 reviews

Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread)

Author | Angela

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 221kcal

Prep 10 minutes

Cooking 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients US CustomaryMetric1x2x3x▢ 1 cup tea (cold, strong brewed - we use Tazo Wild Orange)▢ ¾ cup golden raisins▢ ½ cup dried cranberries▢ ½ cup dried cherries▢ ½ teaspoon dried orange peel (or the zest of 1 whole large orange)▢ 1 large egg (at room temperature)▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ ½ teaspoon ground cloves▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg▢ 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)▢ 2 cups self rising flour (1 cup self rising flour equal to 1 cup all-purpose flour w/1 ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt)

InstructionsIn a bowl, combine the dark steeped tea with dried fruits and candied peel (or orange zest), cover with cling film, and allow to soak refrigerated overnight.1 cup tea, ¾ cup golden raisins, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup dried cherries, ½ teaspoon dried orange peelPreheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper that has been greased.In a large mixing bowl, combine the tea and fruit with egg, spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg) and brown sugar. Stir to combine thoroughly, then add all of the self rising flour.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 cups self rising flourMix until all of the flour is incorporated into a wet dough, then transfer the dough into your loaf pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour then check the color of your baked bread (if it is getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil to keep from browning too deeply). Your bread should be fully baked between 1 hour and 15-30 minutes (mine is typically done at 75-80 minutes). Transfer the baked loaf to a wire cooling rack to cool before slicing and serving. *Baking times can vary based on the size of your loaf pan, oven temperatures, or if you baked a shaped or round loaf on a baking sheet.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 51g (17%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Cholesterol: 15mg (5%) | Sodium: 17mg (1%) | Potassium: 125mg (4%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 31g (34%) | Vitamin A: 200IU (4%) | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 32mg (3%) | Iron: 0.7mg (4%)

Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!

Course Bread Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Quick Bread RecipesCuisine Irish

US CustomaryMetric