Description
This Vegan Irish Barmbrack is a traditional fruit loaf made completely plant-based, featuring soaked raisins and sultanas in strong tea and whiskey for a moist, flavorful bread. The dough is enriched with vegan buttermilk and butter, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and baked to golden perfection with a shiny maple-soy milk glaze. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or as a delicious snack, this loaf balances sweet fruit with warm spices in a tender crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Soaked Fruit
- 118 ml freshly brewed strong tea (made with 2x black tea bags)
- 50 ml whiskey (can substitute with additional 50 ml tea)
- 100 g raisins
- 100 g sultanas
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for tossing soaked fruit)
Dough
- 240 ml vegan buttermilk
- 75 g vegan butter
- 460 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Egg Wash Substitute
- 2 tablespoons soy milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Prepare soaked fruit: The night before or at least 1-2 hours before making the dough, soak the raisins and sultanas in freshly brewed strong tea combined with whiskey. Cover and leave at room temperature to absorb flavors. After soaking, drain the liquid and toss the fruit with 2 tablespoons of flour to coat—this helps prevent sinking during baking.
- Prepare baking pan and ingredients: Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the base with parchment paper. Slowly melt the vegan butter over low heat or in a microwave until just melted, being careful not to overheat. Prepare vegan buttermilk and other ingredients.
- Make the dough: Combine the melted vegan butter with vegan buttermilk. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), and sea salt. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Mix in the soaked fruit and knead for another minute. If kneading by hand, combine wet and dry ingredients into a shaggy dough, knead 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic, then fold in the fruit.
- First proof: Lightly grease and clean a bowl. Place the dough ball inside, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm spot for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size and becomes puffy.
- Second proof: Deflate the dough gently, shape into a round, place it into the prepared springform pan, cover again, and let it rise in a warm area for another hour until puffed.
- Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 175°C (347°F) fan. Mix soy milk and maple syrup to create a vegan egg wash. Brush the glaze evenly over the top of the dough to encourage a golden, shiny crust.
- Baking: Bake the loaf for 55-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
- Cooling and serving: Carefully remove the bread from the springform pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve as is or toasted with vegan butter and a drizzle of maple syrup or vegan honey.
- Storage: Store the wrapped or in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to one month.
Notes
- Instant yeast works best for this recipe because it doesn’t require proofing and activates quickly.
- Tossing the soaked fruit with flour prevents it from sinking to the bottom of the loaf during baking.
- Do not add extra flour when kneading by hand as the dough is sticky initially but will come together with kneading.
- Using a stand mixer with a dough hook can simplify kneading but hand kneading is equally effective.
- The whiskey is optional; substitute with additional strong tea to keep it alcohol-free.
- For a shiny crust, brush the loaf with a mixture of soy milk and maple syrup before baking instead of using egg wash.
