How to make Bara Brith (a traditional Welsh tea loaf/cake)

Soak 225 grams of raisins in boiling water with 8 tea bags for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Keep 1 cup of the liquid aside after removing the tea bags.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan) and prepare a loaf tin (about 10 inches long).

Sift 225 grams of self-raising flour into a large basin to remove lumps.

Add 1 teaspoon of mixed ground allspice to the flour and mix.

Cube 25 grams of cold butter and add it to the flour mixture. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add 100 grams of soft brown sugar to the mixture and break it up a bit.

Add 1 lightly beaten egg and the soaked raisins to the mixture, followed by the reserved cup of tea liquid. Stir until the mixture is soft and soppy, ensuring there are no lumps of sugar or flour.

Grease the inside of the loaf tin with a knob of butter and line it with baking paper, making sure there are no gaps.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting a cocktail stick into the center; it should come out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens