A delicious warming, lightly spiced tea bread. Perfect for a breakfast treat or snack. You can make this in a bread maker but if you don’t have one simply follow my instructions for proving and baking in the oven. Vary the fruit – I often like to use dried berries and goji berries and for a little winter spice try folding in chopped stem ginger as well.  Soaking the fruit before using in the mixture keeps the bread wonderfully moist.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Fruit Bread

Difficulty – Easy

Time – Bread maker 1hour 55 minutes

Makes 1 loaf, 10-12 slices

What’s good about it?

For optimum flavour and health benefits try and use Ceylon cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon has been hailed as the “true cinnamon” or the “real cinnamon” that possesses outstanding health benefits especially for the diabetics and those wishing to help balance blood sugar.  It also has a richer flavour making it perfect for flavouring breads and cookies.

  1. If using a bread maker lightly oil the loaf tin. Alternatively lightly grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
  2. Place the dried fruit in the warm water and soak for 5-10 minutes to soften the fruit slightly.
  3. If using a bread maker simply place all the ingredients into the pan and stir briefly before starting the programme.
  4. If baking the bread in the oven place all the ingredients except the fruit in a food processor and mix to combine. Add the soaked fruit with the water and pulse very briefly as you want to keep some texture.
  5. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and cover with cling. Allow to prove in a warm place for 1 hour.  At the end of the proving spoon the batter into the 2lb loaf tin and cover again. Allow to prove for a further 20 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 220C, gas mark 7. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through.
  7. Turn out the loaf and cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Like all other spices, cinnamon loses its strength in fragrance and colour over time. Store your cinnamon powder or sticks in air-tight bottles in a cool place, away from any moisture, sunlight or heat.

Makes 1 loaf, about 12 slices

120g warm water

100g dried fruit finely chopped if needed (e.g prunes, apricots, raisins, sultanas, goji berries)

150g milk or almond milk

1tsp vanilla extract

2 x 7g sachets of fast acting yeast

30g caster sugar or honey

400g Gluten Free bread flour (e.g Doves Farm)

1tsp baking powder

1tsp xanthum gum

2 eggs, beaten

1tbsp ground cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon)

100g melted unsalted butter or dairy free spread

50g mixed seeds (e.g sesame, pumpkin, sunflower)

1/2 tsp sea salt