Ingredients
- 2 cups stout 500mL, such as Dragon Stout or Guinness
- 1 cup brown sugar packed (235g)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter 70g
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 2 tsp browning
- 1 tbsp strawberry jam or orange marmalade
- 3.5 cups all-purpose flour 525g
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup raisins 200g, soaked in water
- 1/2 cup glace cherries 100g, divided with half roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup mixed peel optional
For the glaze:
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp jam
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and line two 8.5 x 4.5- inch loaf pans.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the stout, sugar, butter, honey, molasses, browning and jam over low heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice into a large bowl.
- Add the raisins (draining out the excess liquid) and the chopped glace cherries to the dry ingredients, and mix well.
- Add the beaten egg and vanilla into the stout mixture, whisking thoroughly.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and slowly pour in the liquid ingredients, stirring to combine and being sure to scrape down the sides.
- Pour batter into two prepared loaf tins, topping with the whole glace cherries and mixed peel if desired.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, testing for doneness when a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Melt honey or jam and water together and brush over the hot surface of the baked bun.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan, and at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Notes
You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon with mixed spice or ground ginger for a slightly different flavour.
Marmalade can be used in place of strawberry jam if you want your bun to have more of a citrus flavour.
If you don’t have raisins, you can use dried cranberries, or even dried, chopped dates or apricots.
Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 days at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a week. (https://nowyourecooking.ca/)
