Spice Bread is a traditional Irish recipe for a classic tea loaf of a spiced fruited batter containing mixed peel and golden syrup in the mix. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Irish version of: Spice Bread.
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Ingredients:
300g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg (or ground cinnamon)
finely-grated zest of 1/2 lemon
120g light brown sugar
180g sultanas
30g mixed peel, chopped
120ml golden syrup (light corn syrup)
60g butter
1 egg
3 or 4 tbsp milk
Method:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices into a bowl. Now stir in the lemon zest, sugar, sultanas and mixed peel.
Combine the syrup and butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted and the syrup is liquid. Stir this into the flour mix, along with the beaten egg and the milk. Mix to combine thoroughly then turn the batter into a greased and lined 1kg loaf tin.
Smooth the top, then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for 30 minutes. Now reduce the temperature to 160°C and bake for a further 40 minutes, or until the cake is cooked through (a skewer inserted into the centre should emerge cleanly). It the top is browning too quickly, cover with a sheet of foil.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cover with a sheet of greaseproof (waxed) paper and a sheet of foil then store in an air-tight tin. Allow to mature for at least 3 days (best a week) before slicing and serving.
If desired you can top with white icing before serving.
