Vegan bara brith
Bara brith is a traditional Welsh tea bread flavoured with tea, dried fruits and spices. Simple and easy to make, perfect with a mug of tea.
Ingredients
For the bara brith
- 450g/1lb mixed dried fruit, (such as sultanas, raisins and candied mixed peel)
- 500ml/18fl oz brewed black tea (such as lapsang)
- 450g/1lb self-raising flour
- 260g/9oz light brown soft sugar
- 1 tbsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 star anise, grated
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 eating apple, grated
- 80g/3oz vegan butter, melted, plus a little extra for greasing
For the glaze
- 50g/1¾oz vegan butter
- 50ml/2fl oz maple syrup
Method
To make the bara brith, begin by soaking the mixed fruit in the tea in a bowl for at least 2 hours.
Lightly grease the inside of a 900g/2lb loaf tin with a little of the vegan butter and line with baking paper.
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Place the flour, sugar, spice, vanilla, chia seeds and grated apple in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour in the melted butter and mix well.
Once the fruit has plumped up, gently fold the tea and fruits through the cake mix to form a smooth batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf tin and smooth out the top using a spatula.
Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the cake from the oven and cover with kitchen foil to stop the top burning. Return the bara brith to the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes.
Check it’s cooked through by inserting a metal skewer into the centre of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean it’s ready. If the skewer comes out with cake batter on it, put the cake back into the oven for a further 5–10 minutes.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the vegan butter and maple syrup together until the butter has melted.
Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and brush with the maple butter mix. Leave the cake to cool, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
Serve slices of the bara brith with lashings of salty vegan butter.
