Trina’s Barm Brack

This is a traditional Irish fruit cake served at Halloween.  It is a magical and mystical cake.  Trinkets are traditionally baked in the cake and each trinket tells the fortune of the recipient.  For example a coin means that you will be a rich person, a rag means that you will be a poor person, a ring means that you will be married soon.

As a child, I remember my brothers, sister and I cutting all sorts of strange angular slices from the Bram Brack in order that we would have the slice with the trinket in it!

This recipe is supplied by my Aunt Trina.

 350 ml / 12 ½ fl oz cold water (or tea)

540g / 1 lb 2 oz sultanas

275g / 9 oz sugar

275g / 9 oz butter

400g / 14 oz self raising flour

1 tsp / 5 ml mixed spice

3 – 4 beaten eggs

Optional: Chopped nuts, glace cherries mixed into cake

22.5cm / 9 inch square cake tin

Preheat the oven to 180˚C / 300˚ – 350˚F / Gas 4

Line the cake tin with greased parchment paper

Wrap trinkets such as coins, rings in parchment paper (as tightly and neatly as possible)

Put the water, fruit, sugar and butter in a saucepan and bring to boil.

Boil for 5 – 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Sieve flour and mixed spice into a large bowl.

When boiled mixture has cooled, pour into the flour and mix well.

Add beaten eggs and beat well.  Pour into the prepared cake tin.

Push the wrapped trinkets into the cake mixture (i.e. below the surface so there is no trace of them when the cake is cooked)

Bake in a preheated moderate oven for approximately 1 ½ hours. After 30 minutes reduce oven temperature to 160˚C / 325˚F / Gas 3 for the remainder of the cooking time.  Test with a skewer – if skewer is dry, the cake is ready.)

This cake can easily be made without the trinkets.  If you are putting the trinkets in, don’t forget to forewarn your guests.