This Old-Fashioned Golden Syrup Loaf is adapted from a 1940s-1950s British wartime Margarite Patton recipe. As sugar was rationed, golden syrup was used to flavour and lightly sweeten the quick cake-like bread. No yeast, no kneading, and no rising are required, and all it needs is just 5 every-day ingredients. Additionally it doesn't require any oil or baking fat, or additional sugar. It's great for breakfast or for a snack toasted or untoasted and spread with butter or margarine, and fruit jam.
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Origin of golden syrup loaf
This recipe for syrup loaf is adapted from a vintage Margarite Paton recipe 'Syrup loaf'. Margarite Paton was a celebrity chef and recipe book author, and during the Second World War she worked with the Ministry of Food to advise the public on how to cope with food rations and shortages.
Paton provided many simple recipes that were prized by stressed out homecooks that were doing their best to make do with what little they had. These recipes were published in books, pamphlets and aired over the BBC radio show The Kitchen Front.
Sugar was rationed during WW2 and although golden syrup was not included within the main rationing it was subject to a point system. Each person was provided with a set number of points where they could choose from items such as tinned food, dried fruits, cereals, pulses, biscuits and golden syrup, depending on how many points they had to spend.
Many recipes were produced that sought to substitute the precious rationed sugar, and golden syrup [also known as light treacle] was a popular choice as it was very sweet with a thick velvety buttery texture and lovely caramel flavours.
Although bread was not rationed during the actual war years 1939-1945, it was rationed for a few years after the war ended. Having recipes for quick and easy loafs that could be prepared with a few simple ingredients were life savers for hungry families. Syrup bread fitted the bill nicely.
Cost of living crisis
Here in the UK, and of course many other countries, we have been experiencing a cost of living crisis with rising fuel, energy, and food costs for the past few years.
Food prices on the Scottish island, where my family reside, have risen even more compared to the main land, as prices were already high before the current crisis began. Locals used to joke that they needed a second mortgage just to shop at our one and only supermarket! So out of necessity we are currently publishing traditional budget-friendly recipes especially old wartime and great depression era recipes.
As always we appreciate any feedback and comments you may have about our recipes, and we hope that you find the recipes useful. We would love to hear about your own budget cooking experiences, advice or tips you may have. It would be wonderful if you would leave a comment below so that we can all benefit. All our recipes are egg-free, dairy-free, and animal ingredient free, yet you will only need ingredients that can be sourced in supermarkets, wholefood shops, or easily accessible online. Subsitituiton ideas, when appropriate, are always provided so that our recipes remain accessible to your own budget, dietary needs, and preferences.
Ingredients
The 5 ingredients you will need for this golden syrup loaf are:
- self-raising flour (self-rising flour)
- bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- salt
- milk (we use soya milk but any milk will do)
- golden syrup (or your choice of thick syrup)
How To Prepare
Golden syrup loaf is sweetened lightly with golden syrup so it is perfect for either sweet or savoury spreads or toppings. You could add a few teaspoons of either cinnamon powder, ginger powder, mixed spice, or pumpkin spice along with the flour if liked.
Step 1: Sift the self-raising flour and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Pour the milk and golden syrup into a small saucepan. Gently warm and whisk together.
Step 3: Pour the milk-syrup mixture into the flour mixture, and stir together.
Step 4: Pour the mixture into a 2 Ib loaf pan.
Step 5: Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Step 6: The loaf is ready when it has risen, is golden, and a skewer popped in comes out clean.
Step 7: Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Storage and freezing
Wrap syrup loaf with a layer of kitchen foil and place into a bread/cake container or a plastic food tub, or place into a bread bag, and store in a cool, dry area, for 3-4 days.
Older slices can be toasted or popped into a warm oven for a few minutes to refresh.
Syrup loaf can be frozen for 3-4 months. Place a piece of baking paper between each slice as this will make it easier to pull out a few slices whenever needed. Or freeze the entire loaf, well wrapped.
FAQ'S
Golden syrup is a common British ingredient commonly used for baking recipes. The syrup is a by-product of the sugar-refining process and was once known as light treacle. Golden syrup can usually be found within the baking aisle of British supermarkets, but if you are outwith the UK then the syrup can be found on Amazon or if possible check out your nearest British themed grocery store. Golden syrup is naturally vegan so it can be used for vegan recipes. There are quite a few recipes on our blog that use golden syrup, so if you do invest in a jar or two then there will be no problem using it up. Golden syrup is also tasty drizzled over our vegan pancakes.
The loaf does require golden syrup for the syrupy flavour but of course you could experiment with a different thick syrup such as light molasses. Although do bear in mind that a different syrup has not been tried and tested with this recipe so if you do use a different syrup do let us know how you get on.
Try a slice of golden syrup bread toasted and spread with your favourite sweet or savoury spread for a delicious easy breakfast. Golden syrup bread only has a hint of sweetness so is perfect for topping with either sweet or savoury additions.
More quick sweet bread recipes
A good selection of quick sweet bread recipes are great to have to hand as they are the perfect snacks as they are generally lower in added sugar and fats compared to cakes, biscuits and sweets/candy. They also make a good breakfast option as they are so good toasted. Our family favourites are this Old-Fashioned Malt Loaf and this Vegan Banana Bread. We also love this Vegan Peanut Butter Bread and this Vegan Cherry Bread which has the flavours of a traditional Battenburg cake.
All our recipes are egg-free and dairy-free but you can use your usual milk and butter if preferred. Many vintage recipes were egg-free out of necessity and leaving out the eggs does not affect any of our baking recipes. Also all our recipes use everyday easily accessible ingredients so you won't have to look for any fussy ingredients, though we do offer subsitutions as depending on the country you reside some ingredients may be more difficult to source.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Old-Fashioned Golden Syrup Loaf
Equipment
- 1 2 Ib loaf pan [1 kg/1 quart loaf pan]
- baking parchment [baking paper]
- 1 sieve
- 1 Small saucepan
- cooling rack or similar
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon golden syrup [level measurements, dip the measuring spoon into boiling water before scooping up the syrup as this will result in cleaner, easier measures]
- 300 mililitres plant milk [such as soya/oat/rice]
- 255 grams self raising flour [or plain/all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder sieved through and a pinch of salt]
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda [baking soda]
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 Fan/180 C/ 356 Fahrenheit/ Gas 4.
- Pour the plant milk into the saucepan and add the golden syrup. Over a low heat stir with a fork or whisk until the milk and syrup are combined. Be careful not to boil, the milk mix should just be a little warm.300 mililitres plant milk, 4 tablespoon golden syrup
- Grease a loaf pan with a little margarine or oil and line with greaseproof paper if necessary.
- Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Stir through the salt.255 grams self raising flour, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 1 pinch salt
- Pour the plant milk and syrup mixture into the flour, scraping in any syrup that may be sitting at the bottom of the saucepan. Stir until everything is nicely combined.Although the cake batter doesn't have to be perfectly smooth.
- Scoop the mixture into the loaf pan and level the top.
- Bake on the middle shelf, for 25-30 minutes or until risen, lightly golden and a skewer popped in comes out clean. Fan ovens will likely bake quicker so check after 20-25 minutes to see how its going.
- Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes within the loaf pan before carefully removing.Cool on a wire rack or similar.
Notes
- Nutritional data is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients can vary.
- Store syrup loaf wrapped in kitchen foil and place into a bread bin/cake tin or similar covered food container. Syrup loaf will be at its freshest for the first 1-3 days but will still be fine to enjoy for a few days longer.
- Slices of syrup loaf toasted or grilled and spread with margarine or vegan butter are really delicious as the edges of the loaf develop sweet crispy bits.
- Syrup loaf can be frozen for 3-4 months. Add a piece of baking paper between each slice as this will make it easier to pull our one or two slices whenever required.
- Golden syrup bread is delicious as a breakfast or brunch bread. Enjoy as is, or toast slices and then spread with vegan butter/margarine or your preferred spread. A dollop of fruit jam, peanut butter or mashed banana is also a tasty topping.
- For a snack have a slice of syrup bread along with a few vegan cheese slices, and perhaps a scoop of pickle/chutney, or a few sliced cherry tomatoes.
- Or for evening supper, enjoy a slice of syrup loaf with a nice cup of tea. Kids especially will love syrup bread slathered with vegan chocolate spread for an easy and inexpensive treat.
- For extra flavour or just for a change, add a few teaspoons of cinnamon powder, ginger powder, mixed spice powder, pumpkin spice powder, apple pie spice mix, etc.
Nutrition
Comments
We would love to know how you got on with the golden syrup loaf recipe so do drop us a comment below. All feedback is very much appreciated. Thanks so much. Jacq x
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