Barmbrack: the traditional Báirín Breac recipe for an easy Irish bread

Barmbrack is a phenomenal-tasting Irish bread that people traditionally serve at Halloween. It has a fragrant lightly spiced flavor and sweet, tea-soaked dried fruit such as raisins and sultans. Thanks to its almost soft texture and sweet, but not too sweet flavor, many households make barmbrack regardless of the season.

This tasty Irish bread is not quite as rich as other types, but it will still satisfy your sweet tooth. Barmbrack is easy to make and even easier to eat! It's wonderful toasted and slathered in butter and enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee.

What is Barmbrack?

Also known as báirín breac (speckled loaf in Irish Gaelic), barmbrack is an amazingly tasty bread made with dried fruit and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

The bread gets its name from its appearance, as the fruit is dotted throughout the loaf, and more scarce compared to other types of fruit loaves. It has a similar flavor to fruitcake or a fruit loaf but is less rich.

With its warming baking spices, you can make barmbrack all year round, even if it is usually served at Halloween. This tradition would date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This would coincide precisely with the harvest season, when the fruits were collected and stored to make sweets during the Christmas holidays.

Barmbrack vs. Tea Brack

Tea brack is similar to barmbrack, as it also contains dried fruit, sugar, and is made with tea, but it is less sweet than the traditional one.

You can use other types of fruit to make tea brack, including glace cherries, prunes, or dates.

What are the trinkets hidden inside a Barmbrack?

Adding a trinket or charm such as a ring, pea, coin, or cloth to barmbrack is a practice that dates back for centuries. To find a ring in a piece of barmbrack means the person would get married within a year, while a coin means wealth. Cloth means bad luck, while the pea means a life without marriage.

Barmbrack Ingredients

The sweetness of barmbrack comes from the sultanas, raisins, and brown sugar.

Citrus zests add a brightness to the loaf, and soaking all of these ingredients in black tea infuses them with incredible flavor.

For the batter itself, you'll need flour, baking powder, eggs, and baking spices.

Either pumpkin pie spice or mixed spice will do, but you can make your own blend of warming baking spices.

How to Make Barmbrack

It couldn't be easier to make barmbrack at home. Start by mixing the raisins, sultanas, lemon zest, orange zest, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk the hot tea into the sugar mixture, then cover it and leave it overnight so the flavors can melt together. The next day, combine the flour, baking powder, and spice mix in a large bowl. Add the raisin mixture and the eggs to the flour mixture, making sure to alternate between the two. Mix until the batter is well-combined.

Now it's time to add in the trinket! Wrap your trinket in parchment paper and put it into the batter, then transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake the barmbrack for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 ½ hour at 325°F. Let it cool for 20 minutes, then take the bread out of the pan and let it cool completely on a rack.

Tips for Making the Best Irish Barmbrack

Use room-temperature ingredients to make your barmbrack.

You can add a tablespoon or so of whiskey to your barmbrack for extra flavor. The alcohol will cook off when it's baking.

If you don't have mixed spice, use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger.

If you like baking spices, add a little extra to your batter to suit your taste.

How to Store Barmbrack

Wrap your barmbrack in cling film and keep it at room temperature for up to 5 days. Frozen barmbrack lasts up to 4 months.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Whisk raisins, sultanas, lemon zest, orange zest, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk the hot tea into the sugar mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight at room temperature.

Combine flour, baking powder, and spice mix in a large bowl.

Alternating between the two, add in the raisin mixture and the eggs.

Beat until the batter is completely mixed.

Wrap your trinket in parchment paper. Place it into the batter, then transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 ½ hour.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes, then take the bread out of the pan and let it cool completely on a rack.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Use a 9-inch loaf pan to make your barmbrack.