Bara brith
This deliciously moist Welsh tea cake is a virtually fat-free alternative to traditional fruit cake.
Ingredients
- 375g/13oz dried mixed fruit
- 1 medium orange, zest and juice
- 1 heaped tsp ground mixed spice
- 25g/1oz clear honey
- 225ml/8fl oz Earl Grey tea, hot
- unsalted butter, for greasing
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
- 1 large eating apple (approximately 200g/7oz), cored, grated
- 175g/6oz wholemeal self-raising flour, sifted
- 200g/7oz white self-raising flour, sifted
Preparation method
- Put the dried fruit, orange zest, mixed spice and honey into a large mixing bowl. Pour over the hot tea and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to soak for 4-5 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3. Lightly grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin with butter and line with baking paper.
- Mix in the orange juice, beaten egg and the grated apple with the soaked fruit. Fold in the sifted flour until completely combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the lined loaf tin and place into the oven on the middle shelf for 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cover the cake tightly with a double layer of foil to prevent the top from browning too much. Continue to bake for a further 1½ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack. Cover with a tea towel and set aside to cool completely.
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