This is a great Irish Tea Brack (or Irish tea bread recipe). Fabulous for St Patrick’s Day celebrations! Gluten free, vegan, nut free, coconut free, soya free and full of flavour. There are two types of Irish Brack: Barm Brack and Tea Brack. Bram Brack contains yeast and is allowed to rise before baking whereas Tea Brack is more of a tea loaf. Both are great – Tea Brack is slightly easier and quicker to produce.

Allowing the dried fruit to soak in the tea overnight make the fruit plump and juicy and makes the flavour of the tea in the fruit works well with the sweetness of the loaf. I use Campbell’s tea which is imported from Ireland and pretty hard to get but you can use any strong tea such as Yorkshire tea or breakfast tea.

Sliced Irish Tea Brack spread with a bit of jam and a cup of tea and you are in heaven. You could also serve Gluten-Free, Vegan Triple Chocolate Cake and Gluten Free, Vegan Shortbread.

Allergy Information – Irish Tea Brack

Irish Tea Brack is gluten-free and vegan as well as… celery free, coconut free, garlic free, lupin free, mustard free, nightshade free, onion free, peanut free, sesame free, soya free, tree nut free.

Top Tips – Irish Tea Brack

Tea Brack wrapped and stored in a cool dark place for 24 hours tastes even better than fresh. If you can wait that long!

Lots of ingredients in this recipe are some of my core store cupboard essentials. Gluten-free flour blend, dried fruit and seeds are key to great baking. Always great to have on hand! Find out what else is on my regular shopping list with my FREE Store Cupboard Essentials Cheat Sheet. Get it now! Just click the button below, sign-up and download.



Recipe – Irish Tea Brack

Difficulty easy

Serves 4-6

Preparation time 10 minutes (excluding overnight soaking)

Cooking time 90 minutes

Ingredients – Irish Tea Brack

75 grams of sultanas

75 grams raisins

75 grams currants

100 grams glace cherries (check they are gluten free and vegan)

25 grams dried cranberries

300 millilitres freshly brewed tea (I use the wonderful Campbell Irish tea but you can use any strong breakfast tea)

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

2.5 tablespoons cold water

225 grams gluten-free flour blend

2 teaspoons baking powder

120 grams sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon mixed spice

Method – Irish Tea Brack

1. Mix the dried fruits together in a large bowl and add the freshly brewed tea. Allow it to cool, cover and place in the fridge overnight

2. Preheat oven to 170 C (fan). Lightly grease a loaf tin

3. Place the ground flax seeds in to a small cup and add the cold water. Allow to steep for at least five minutes

4. Add the molasses to the flax mixture and combine. Add this mixture to the soaked fruit and combine well

5. Add all the remaining ingredients to the soaked fruit mixture and stir well until combined

6. Place in the greased loaf tin and put in the oven for approximately 90 minutes until a clean knife inserted comes out clean and the top is lightly coloured. Check after 60 minutes and turn in the oven to brown evenly

7. Allow to cool in the tin before removing and store wrapped well in an air tight container.

