Irish Barmbrack Bread Recipe (2024)

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by Sandyon Mar 11, 2024

We love traditional Irish Breads, like this Barmbrack Bread, an Irish brown bread recipe made with yeast, raisins and dried cherries. It’s delicious served warm with butter.

Irish Barmbrack is a traditional Celtic bread, originally made for harvest celebrations—hence the warm smells and flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Traditional Irish Breads

Being an Irish family, this is our version of Barmbrack, but like any ‘traditional’ recipe, there are quite a few varieties of traditional Irish breads in Ireland. For simpler ingredients, you can also try our fresh soda bread or potato bread.

Read more: Traditional Irish Breads

Oh, we love the outer crust of this Irish brown bread, that has a crunchy, biscuit-like texture, while the inside is moist, fruity, and cakey. It’s perfect in the morning with a cup of coffee, or to enjoy a slice for afternoon tea. We’ve been to Dublin several times, and one of our fondest memories is hiking through Glendalough, and then sitting on a rock to enjoy a slice of soda bread and hot cup of tea. Our time with my husband’s aunt and uncle was precious.

Why I love this recipe

• It’s freezable – so if you go to the trouble of making one loaf, we love to double the recipe and freeze a loaf (or give away for St. Patrick’s Day).
• Everyone loves a slice served with a traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal.
• Serve warm with Irish butter – yum!

Gather these ingredients

• Tea (English Breakfast or Earl Gray)
• Golden raisins and dried cherries
• Lemon zest
• Flour
• Dark brown sugar
• Baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
• Kerrygold unsalted butter
• Whole milk and egg

How do you make traditional Irish breads?

This recipe is a basic soda bread recipe, and you can always add your favorite dried fruit.

1. Mix together hot tea, raisins, and cherries in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20-30 minutes, or until dried fruit have plumped, then drain the fruit, and set on paper towel to absorb excess water: Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°.
3. Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl; make a well in the center.
4. Combine the melted butter, warm milk, and egg in a separate bowl and whisk together.
5. Add the milk mixture into the well along with the dried fruit; stir until a wet dough forms and all dry ingredients are incorporated.
6. Press dough into a greased loaf pan lined with parchment.
7. Bake until firm—32–37 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean after insertion. Let cool slightly.
8. Serve warm with butter!

How to serve Barmbrack Bread

The bread pairs perfectly with tea or coffee and a smudge of creamy Irish butter. Also delicious served with your favorite weekend brunch!

The optional sweet, honey butter compliments this bread perfectly and is so easy to mix up at home.

I love St. Patrick’s Day for so many wonderful rustic and comforting foods. You may want to try our Best Corned Beef and Cabbage served with an Irish Flag Spinach Salad or this Guinness Shepherd’s Pie. So delicious!

Tips and substitutions:

• Allow the bread to cool completely and then wrap it well (double wrap it in plastic wrap and then foil) an place in the freezer. It can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Swap out the dried fruit for your favorite dried fruit, for example dried apricots are amazing in this recipe.
• Optional to add nuts if you prefer (walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts).
• Don’t over bake – make sure and check it toward the end. You do not want dry bread.

More traditional Irish recipes to try:

• Sally’s Grandma’s Irish Soda Bread
• Irish Bread Pudding
• Smoked (Traeger) Corned Beef

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published on Mar 11, 2024

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