This traditional recipe for Liverpool Bun Loaf is a festive favourite in the North West of England, and the Isle of Man
A Traditional Festive Tea Loaf Recipe
This traditional recipe for Liverpool Bun Loaf is a festive favourite in the North West of England, and the Isle of Man.
Sometimes called Bunloaf, or Manx Bunloaf, it’s a fabulous fruited tea loaf recipe, which is often made in place of a more traditional Christmas cake.
You need to plan this the day or night before you bake the bun loaf, as the fruit is boiled with the butter, sugar and water, before being left to stand overnight.
The next day, or later in the day, the dry ingredients, eggs and marmalade are added to the boiled fruit mixture before baking.
The original recipe doesn’t allow for the fact that the butter has solidified overnight, so gently heated the fruit mixture again, until the butter had just melted.
On reading some of my vintage cookbooks, I discovered several more variations on this traditional recipe, so I tweaked it, and I was delighted with the results.
This recipe for Liverpool Bun Loaf makes 2 x loaves – I baked one in a 1lb loaf tin and the other in a 2lb loaf tin.
For an alternative to Christmas cake, I suspect that you could “feed this” every week with brandy, or any booze of your choice, such as whisky or sherry.
I served this for an early Christmas Afternoon Tea for family who visited us last week; they loved it so much, that I gave them one of the loaves to take home.
It was sliced and then buttered, but as the loaf was so moist, the butter was an added extravagance! It was delicious however, with a cuppa.
I hope you enjoy this latest recipe of mine – although it is traditionally made at Christmas time, especially in Liverpool, this is an evergreen recipe for all year round.
Do let me know if you have come across this regional recipe before, and if you or your family make this, I’d love to hear from you, Karen
Pin Me for Later
Ingredients List
- 1/2 pint (300ml) water
- 1lb (450g) dried mixed fruit with peel
- 8oz (225g) unsalted butter
- 6oz (170g) soft light brown sugar
- 1lb self-raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 3 teaspoons mixed spice
- 4 tablespoons marmalade
- 4 free-range eggs, beaten
Pin Me for Later too
More Tea Loaf Recipes
Sweet Christmas Recipes
Savoury Christmas Recipes
- Smoked and Poached Salmon Pate
- Slow Cooker & Air Fryer Turkey Crown
- Slow Cooker Treacle Glazed Bacon
Liverpool Bun Loaf Recipe
Liverpool Bun Loaf
This traditional recipe for Liverpool Bun Loaf is a festive favourite in the North West of England, and the Isle of Man.
Sometimes called Bunloaf, or Manx Bunloaf, it's a fabulous fruited tea loaf recipe, which is often made in place of a more traditional Christmas cake.
You need to plan this the day or night before you bake the bun loaf, as the fruit is boiled with the butter, sugar and water, before being left to stand overnight.
The next day, or later in the day, the dry ingredients, eggs and marmalade are added to the boiled fruit mixture before baking.
The original recipe doesn't allow for the fact that the butter has solidified overnight, so gently heated the fruit mixture again, until the butter had just melted.
On reading some of my vintage cookbooks, I discovered several more variations on this traditional recipe, so I tweaked it, and I was delighted with the results.
This recipe for Liverpool Bun Loaf makes 2 x loaves - I baked one in a 1lb loaf tin and the other in a 2lb loaf tin.
For an alternative to Christmas cake, I suspect that you could "feed this" every week with brandy, or any booze of your choice, such as whisky or sherry.
I served this for an early Christmas Afternoon Tea for family who visited us last week; they loved it so much, that I gave them one of the loaves to take home.
It was sliced and then buttered, but as the loaf was so moist, the butter was an added extravagance! It was delicious however, with a cuppa.
I hope you enjoy this latest recipe of mine - although it is traditionally made at Christmas time, especially in Liverpool, this is an evergreen recipe for all year round.
Do let me know if you have come across this regional recipe before, and if you or your family make this, I'd love to hear from you, Karen
Ingredients
- 1/2 pint (300ml) water
- 1lb (450g) dried mixed fruit with peel
- 8oz (225g) unsalted butter
- 6oz (170g) soft light brown sugar
- 1lb self-raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 3 teaspoons mixed spice
- 4 tablespoons marmalade
- 4 free-range eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Put the water, mixed fruit, butter and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Boil for about 10 minutes, then take off the heat, cover and leave overnight.
- The next day, pre-heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and grease and/or line 2 x loaf tins.
- Gently reheat the fruit mixture to melt the butter, allow to cool slightly, then add the flour, salt, mixed spice, marmalade and beaten eggs.
- Mix well to combine everything.
- Spoon the mixture into the pepared loaf tins and bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 and 1/2 hours, or until when a skewer inserted in to the middle of leaves, comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tins before storing in an airtight container.
- Serve in cut into slices, buttered if you wish.
Notes
For a richer bun loaf, make several holes with a skewer all over the loaves, and “feed” the cake with brandy (or whisky, sherry or rum) – pouring it down the holes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 194Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 51mgSodium 74mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 1gSugar 11gProtein 3g
Pence says
Is dried mixed fruit things like raisins?