Yorkshire Barm Brack. Image: Michael Armstrong (Baker Mike)
Here’s a recipe for Yorkshire Barm Brack Cake, courtesy of Michael Armstrong (‘Baker Mike’), photo below, who writes for the Keighley News and regularly shares his experience and love of baking with its readers.
Michael writes:
Fancy a big wedge of Yorkshire Brack cake and a slice of Wensleydale cheese? Then lets make a day of it then! Brack my not be familiar to anyone from beyond or borders, so it merits explanation.
In bakery terms, brack is a cake made without the addition of fat, though over ingredients like eggs of course contains some fat. But a overnight soaking of fruits in steaming Yorkshire tea from the caddy is a must to do this recipe justice.
- 300ml boiling water from the kettle
- 4 Yorkshire tea bags
- 275g plain flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons mixed spices
- 150g caster sugar
- 110g dark brown sugar
- 350g mixed dried fruits
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Good slug of whisky, rum or brandy, optional extra in Yorkshire
- Zest and juices from a small lemon, optional
- Pop the kettle on and carefully measure out the boiling water into a large bowl.
- Place 4 Yorkshire tea bags into the mixing bowl and pour over the boiling water. Allow to steep for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then discard the tea bags if you wish so or leave them in the bowl overnight with the dried fruits for a stronger flavour.
- Add the dried fruits to the tea mixture and stir in the caster sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest and juices with the alcohol of choice. Cover with cling film and set aside to soak overnight if possible at room temperature.
- When you are ready to bake your cake, butter and parchment line a 2lb loaf tin.
- Preheat the oven to 160c / 140c fan / Gas Mark 3.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spices.
- Drain the fruits from the overnight liquid and add the liquid to the bowl with the dry and then stir in the fruits; add the beaten egg. Combine the ingredients, but taking care not to overmix as the mixture will be fairly wet.
- Spoon out the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Bake your cake in the middle of the oven for around 1 hour and 30 minutes till well risen and firm, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out cleanly.
- Allow to cool fully in the tin before carefully removing.
- Serve up with lashings of best butter and a BIG slice of Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese and a brew of Yorkshire tea!
Source: You can find more Baker Mike’s recipes at the Keighley News: Friend in Knead
5 Responses to Yorkshire Barm Brack Cake
Yorkshire Brack is not dissimilar to a rich fruit cake but with a stronger tea infusion and a little whiskey (optional). Brack, just like Irish Barm Brack is a perfect tea time cake (or any other time you choose) spread with a little butter. The success of a Yorkshire Brack depends on the soaking the dried mixed fruits in a strong, preferably Yorkshire tea the night before. The addition of the tea adds a subtle depth of flavor and moisture to the cake. For this reason, you will need a little planning to allow time for soaking the fruits. It is worth it though so don t be put off.
I wasn’t at all sure about this recipe. The mixture was definitely NOT quite wet and it only took an hour to bake. It tastes ok warm. I wait to see what it’s like when cold! Quite different from other brack recipes. I think next time I would save some of the liquid from the fruit and add it into the mix.
That sounds a good idea. The mixture should be on the wet side prior to baking.
This recipe didn’t seem correct. Surely the amount of boiling water should be reduced. This recipe says to drain and throw away the remaining liquid, so that will discard the sugar and the lemon rind. I saved some of the liquid to add back. It’s now baking.
Thanks Wendy. Amendment has now been made to method, see item 7. The newspaper that printed Mike’s original recipe had rather jumbled the method that he had supplied to them.