A Bara Brith is a classic Welsh fruit cake. I hope I haven’t taken too many liberties with this “not-quite-traditional” version, because it’s very moist, very orangey, very fruity and very nice. Definitely worth the risk, and my wife – who is half Welsh – hasn’t complained.

Makes: 10 – 12 slices

Time: 15 min. prep the night before baking. On the day: 30 min. prep. 90 min. baking + cooling, then 20 min. decorating

Level: Reasonably easy

Need: A 1kg/2lb loaf tin

Ingredients

300g/10oz mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants in any combination)
1 or 2 medium oranges (depending on whether or not you want to use one for decorating)
200ml/7fl oz warmed marinating liquid (I used an orange juice & tea mixture)
250g/9fl oz self-raising flour
50g/1¾oz soft light brown sugar
50g/1¾oz ground almonds (can be omitted for a nut free version)
1 tsp mixed spices
Pinch of salt
2 medium eggs
1 tsp orange extract (optional extra)
1 apple
3 tbsp golden syrup
30ml/1fl oz milk

To decorate

Some orange marmalade
Either a small tin of orange or satsuma segments or segments from the second orange

Method

1. The night before baking, place the dried fruits in a medium bowl. Pour warm orange juice/tea over them. There needs to be 200ml liquid. Stir well, cover and leave to soak overnight. Grease the tin and line with baking parchment, leaving the two long sides standing above the edge of the tin to lift out the loaf.

2. The following day, heat the oven to 150°C / Fan 130°C / 300°F / Gas 2.

3. Put the flour into a mixing bowl and add in the sugar, ground almonds, mixed spices, and salt. Mix well. Stir in the zest of an orange.

4. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly. Add in the orange extract (if using).

5. Peel and core the apple. Cut half into small pieces, grate the rest. Add it all into the macerated fruit mixture immediately, before it has a chance to turn brown. Also stir in the 50g chopped pieces of orange (remove white pith first), followed by the eggs. Mix well.

6. If necessary, transfer all the wet ingredients into a larger bowl so there’s room for mixing. Tip the dry ingredients into the wet, add in the golden syrup and milk then stir to mix. Just until there’s no flour showing – don’t overmix.

7. Tip or spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for about 90 minutes. Check at 80 and cover the top with foil if it appears to be darkening too much.

8. Check that the loaf is baked by inserting a skewer into the centre. If it comes out dry, it’s ready. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

To decorate

9. Warm sufficient marmalade to cover the top of the cake and brush it on. (You may need to dilute the marmalade a little.) Keep some back for a second brushing in a minute.

10. Dab the segments of orange or satsuma with kitchen paper until reasonably dry. Arrange them on top of the cake and gently brush over some more marmalade.

I hope you have a go at this lovely cake. If you’re a “Bara Brith fan” I have a couple of others for you to try:

First, a gluten free version then, a rather special Bakewell version.

If you want more loaf cake recipes click this link. Meanwhile, here are some more that I’m confident you’ll enjoy too and I’d love you to try them:

Chocolate and Orange Marbled Loaf Cake