Traditional Irish Barmbrack (Fruit Bread) is the best raisin bread you'll ever bake. It's incredibly easy to make and needs no yeast. It's so delicious that there's no sense waiting for an Irish holiday to roll around to enjoy this amazing bread. Bake it up anytime or for the holidays that barmbrack is a traditional part of, including St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, and New Year's Day!
In a bowl, combine the dark steeped tea with dried fruits and candied peel (or orange zest), cover with cling film, and allow to soak refrigerated overnight.
1 cup tea, ¾ cup golden raisins, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup dried cherries, ½ teaspoon dried orange peel
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper that has been greased.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the tea and fruit with egg, spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg) and brown sugar. Stir to combine thoroughly, then add all of the self rising flour.
1 large egg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 cups self rising flour
Mix until all of the flour is incorporated into a wet dough, then transfer the dough into your loaf pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour then check the color of your baked bread (if it is getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil to keep from browning too deeply).
Your bread should be fully baked between 1 hour and 15-30 minutes (mine is typically done at 75-80 minutes). Transfer the baked loaf to a wire cooling rack to cool before slicing and serving. *Baking times can vary based on the size of your loaf pan, oven temperatures, or if you baked a shaped or round loaf on a baking sheet.