Cozy Irish Barmbrack Recipe Easy Homemade Spiced Fruit Bread
A warm, spiced Irish fruit bread soaked in tea and whiskey, perfect for cozy occasions and family gatherings. Moist, flavorful, and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes plus overnight soaking
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes plus overnight soaking
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (150g) raisins
- 1 cup (150g) sultanas
- ½ cup (75g) chopped dried apricots
- 1 cup (240ml) strong black tea, brewed and cooled
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (12g) baking powder
- 2 tsp (4g) ground mixed spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice blend)
- 1 tsp (2g) ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar
- 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) warm milk
- 2 tbsp (30ml) whiskey or brandy (optional)
- ½ tsp (3g) salt
Instructions
- Soak the dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, chopped apricots) in brewed black tea and optional whiskey or brandy. Cover and leave overnight or at least 4 hours to plump and meld flavors.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Stir to combine evenly.
- In a separate bowl, beat softened butter with eggs until smooth and slightly fluffy. Add warm milk and mix well.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until combined; avoid overmixing.
- Drain soaked fruit slightly and fold into the batter evenly.
- Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55–65 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick (should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs).
- Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Slice when completely cool.
Notes
Soaking the dried fruit overnight in tea and whiskey is essential for juicy, flavorful bread. Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the crumb tender. Tent with foil if the top browns too quickly. Use fresh spices for best aroma. Let bread cool completely before slicing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 80g)
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Protein: 3
Keywords: Irish barmbrack, spiced fruit bread, fruit bread, St. Patrick's Day bread, easy bread recipe, homemade barmbrack, traditional Irish bread