This Old-Fashioned Malt Loaf is adapted from the old-fashioned British Harvo malt loaf recipes that were popular during the mid 1900s. The flavour of this malt loaf is also similar to the British produced Soreen fruity malt loaf that is a popular family favourite. Malt loaf is a really easy bake and produces a malted sweet loaf packed with juicy raisins and is especially delicious toasted. It's delicious spread with butter or margarine, along with a nice cup of tea for morning or afternoon breaktime or as part of teatime.
No eggs are required for this malt loaf recipe, and it can be easily prepared as dairy-free so it's perfect for vegan and plant-based diets. Also, this is a no-knead, no-yeast, and no-rising simple recipe and you will only need everyday pantry ingredients.
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Origin of malt loaf
There are two types of malt loaf, one is a type of sweet cake-like dense bread that is flavoured with sticky malt syrup. The other type is baked as ordinary bread but prepared with malted flour as well as the malt extract, and using either yeast or baking powder as a leavening agent to achieve a less dense and higher rise compared to the cake-like malt loaf. Both types of malt loaves are usually served sliced and spread with butter or margarine.
Malt loaf originates in Scotland and dates back to the late 1800s when a British patent was held by John Montgomerie for making malted bread. By 1890 Montgomerie also held a US patent for the special process he designed for preparing his malted bread.
By the 1950s, the Harvo loaf was a popular version of the malt loaf. The Harvo loaf was a sticky, sweet, and dense bake that originated in a small English bakery in Birmingham.
Nowadays, the Harvo malt loaf has had its hay day and is no longer commonly found in shops and supermarkets. However, many people still have fond memories of the Harvo malt loaf and there are still Harvo loaf recipes out there to enjoy so the nostalgia can be easily relived.
Another British favourite malt loaf is the Soreen Malt Loaf. The Soreen Malt Loaf was first developed by John Sorenson in 1938, and was sold locally from his small bakery. The current owner of the Soreen brand is the Samworth brothers who purchased the company in 2014. Millions of Soreen malt loafs in various flavours and sizes are produced in Britain each week.
Are Soreen malt loaves vegan?
Since 2021 most of the traditional Soreen malt loaves range have been converted to be suitable for vegans. Additionally, a new vegan range of malt loaves was introduced. However, its best to check the ingredients of each product before purchasing as some may contain dairy. Also, as food producers often change the ingredients in products it is best to double check the ingredient list even if it's something that you buy often, especially if the product is 'accidently vegan' and does not have the vegan trademark label.
Northern Ireland's malt loaf - Veda bread
In Northern Ireland there can be found a gem of a malt loaf called Sunblest Veda malt Loaf. My family lived in Northern Ireland for many years and Veda bread was the best shop-bought bread we have ever tasted, so good toasted for a quick lunch and served with a scoop of baked beans. To date, Sunblest Veda loaf is suitable for vegans (although do check the ingredients as recipes do change!). Although, now we are back in Scotland we can't access it unless family bring it back for us which is why we created a vegan-friendly malt loaf recipe.
Ingredients
The 8 ingredients you will require for this malt loaf are:
- Plain flour
- baking powder
- bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- salt
- light/soft brown sugar
- raisins (or sultanas)
- milk (we used soya milk but you can use your usual milk)
- barley malt extract
How to prepare
A quick mix of the ingredients is all that is required for a tasty teatime malt loaf. We also love it for breakfast. As we are plant-based we use vegan-friendly ingredients such as soya and almond milk but you can replace those ingredients with your usual ingredients.
Step 1: Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the salt, brown sugar and raisins.
Step 3: Mix together.
Step 4: Pour the milk into a jug and add the barley malt extract.
Step 5: Whisk with a fork until thoroughly combined.
Step 6: Pour the malted milk into the flour mixture and mix well.
Step 7: Pour the mixture into a lined loaf pan and bake for 45-60 minutes or until risen, golden, and a skewer popped in the centre comes out clean.
[please note: although the above photo shows a loaf pan paper case, please do not use one of these as the case stuck to the loaf and it was a long arduous task removing it! Greaseproof or baking paper/parchment works just fine.]
Step 8: Cool in the baking pan for 10-15 minutes before removing. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Recipe notes
Storage
Malt loaf can be wrapped in a layer of baking paper and a second layer of kitchen foil and kept in a bread or cake tin/bin.
Store somewhere cool and dry, for 3-4 days. Older slices can be refreshed by placing in a warm oven or grill (broiler) for a few minutes to heat through. Or toast with a toaster machine or use a dry non-stick fry pan/skillet to toast each side.
Malt bread can be frozen as individual slices or as a whole loaf, for 2-3 months. Wrap up with food safe wrap. Slices will thaw quickly.
FAQ'S
Malt extract is a byproduct of the malted grain process and is similar in consistency and appearance to golden syrup or light molasses, and it can be used as a natural sweetener. Malted grain is produced by 'malting' wholegrains. Malting refers to germinating the grain by steeping it in water and then drying the grain with warm air. This malting process ferments the grains sugars and develops the grains enzymes and proteins. The grains go through various processes of drying, soaking, germinating, sprouting, and smoking to finally produce malted grain, malt flour and malt extract.
The most common grain that is malted to produce malt extract or malt syrup is barley, and it usually goes by the name of 'barley malt extract' or'malt extract' on the products labels. Common products that contain malted grain flour or malt extract are some types of breakfast cereals such as Shreddies breakfast cereal, malt vinegar, malt bread such as granary bread, Soreen malt loaf and the Irish Veda bread, some British biscuits such as Rich Tea, Digestives and Malted milk biscuits, and hot drinks such as Ovaltine and Horlicks, and alcoholic beverages such as beer and whiskey.
Malt extract can provide some useful nutrition as it is a good source of energy, fibre, b vitamins, potassium, folate, antioxidants, and amino acids. The type of sugar within malt extract is maltose which breaks down quickly once consumed providing a quick source of energy.
Although, malt has been around for thousands of years, it gained popularity used as malt extract during the early 1900s which was added to a Virol - a nutritional supplement designed for kids of British working class parents, as well as for pregnant women and invalids. The malt extract was used along with fish oil to combat nutritional deficiencies.
Also, in the US during the late 1800s/early 1900s, malt extract was promoted by brewing companies to pregnant woman as a health tonic drink.
Malt extract, or more commonly known as barley malt extract/syrup, can usually be found in health shops and wholefood stores. In the UK try your local health or wholefood shop or one of the chain stores such as Holland's and Barrett's or The Grape Tree. Alternatively, it can be sourced on Amazon UK or wholefoodsonline.co.uk.
In the US, malt extract may be more difficult to source but perhaps try a local home brew store as they often sell malt extract as it is a common ingredient for brewing alcoholic beverages. Or try the home brewing section at Walmart. Failing that Amazon.com has Potter's Herbal malt extract and the Meridien barley malt extract for sale [at the time of writing].
If your in Australia, getting your hands on a jar of malt extract is likely to be much easier seeing as Australia produce about 920,000 tonnes of malt each year!
Yes.
Unfortunately not, due to the barley grain containing gluten. However,according to Coeliac.org.uk if a product states barley malt extract in the ingredient list but it also has a gluten-free label, then the product will contain less or no more than 20ppm gluten and so technically can be safe to consume. For more information do consult the Coeliac.org.uk website as it contains an email address where you can find out more information. Additionally, you can consult this page over on Coeliac.org.uk where it states they are no longer listing ingredients containing barley malt extract or barley malt vinegar unless the product is labelled as gluten-free.
On a happier note, many more producers and manufactures are creating malt from gluten-free grains such as sorghum and buckwheat, so these may be available on the market at some point in the future.
For the traditional malted loaf flavours its essential to use malt extract but of course if malt extract is difficult to source it can be replaced although do consider that depending on the replacement the flavour of the loaf will also change. A few alternatives are golden syrup, black treacle, light molasses, brown rice syrup, date syrup and maple syrup.
More Old-Fashioned Sweet Bread Recipes
Old-Fashioned sweet bread recipes are amazing as they naturally contain no eggs and the dairy can be easily replaced with plant-based milk.
If you have different dietary needs then you can always use your usual milk as any type of milk will work for these recipes.
Sweet breads are also ideal cake replacements as they are usually lower in added sugar and many recipes do not require an additional fat such as baking margarine, butter, or oil.
All our recipes are prepared with everyday ingredients or have ingredient replacement suggestions as we want the recipes to be easily accessible.
A few of our family favourite sweet bread recipes are this Vegan Banana Bread which can be prepared as a banana chocolate chip bread or you can chuck in a handful of nuts which is also very nice. We also love this Vegan Peanut Butter Bread which is delicious toasted for breakfast. And this Vegan Cherry Bread has all the flavours of a classic Battenburg cake and is our favourite for supper. And this Old-Fashioned Golden Syrup Loaf is a 1940s vintage classic and is also very good toasted.
***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 Malt Loaf
Equipment
- Baking paper.
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring jug
- mixing spoon
- small balloon whisk [or fork]
- sieve
Ingredients
- 400 grams plain flour [all-purpose flour]
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda [baking soda]
- 70 grams light/soft brown sugar [or dark brown sugar]
- 1 pinch salt
- 140 grams raisins [or sultanas]
- 375 mililitres soya milk [or your usual milk]
- 2 tablespoons barley malt extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C Fan / 180°C / 355°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Using vegetable oil or margarine grease the loaf pan and line with baking paper.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.400 grams plain flour, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Stir through the sugar and salt.Mix in the raisins.70 grams light/soft brown sugar, 1 pinch salt, 140 grams raisins
- In a measuring jug or small bowl pour in the milk and add the barley malt extract. Whisk with a fork or balloon whisk to combine thoroughly, scrapping the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the extract is mixed through.2 tablespoons barley malt extract, 375 mililitres soya milk
- Pour the malted milk into the flour mixture.
- Stir until all combined.
- Scoop the mixture into the lined loaf pan.
- Bake on the middle oven shelf for 45-60 minutes. [check how the loaf is going after 45 minutes especially for fan ovens as they tend to bake quicker.
- The loaf is ready when it has risen, is firm to touch, golden, and a skewer popped in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the loaf pan for about 10-15 minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack.Remove the baking paper once removed from the loaf pan.*[please note: try not to use a loaf pan paper case, those ones you just pop into the loaf pan instead of lining with baking paper, as the paper cases tend to stick to this loaf during baking]*
Notes
- Store malt loaf wrapped in a layer of baking paper and/or kitchen foil and keep in a bread bin/container.
- Malt loaf is usually enjoyed sliced and spread with butter or margarine. Fruit jam or marmalade is also nice. Toasted malt loaf for breakfast is especially nice.
- Malt loaf will keep for 3-4 days. Older slices can be refreshed in a warm oven for a few minutes or toasted.
- Freeze for 2-3 months, well wrapped.
- Malt loaf slices will thaw very quickly.
- Sultanas or cranberries can be used instead of raisins.
- You can replace the barley malt extract with golden syrup, light molasses, treacle, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, or your preferred thick syrup. However, do note that the end result will not be a malt loaf and the flavour will be changed.
- As we are a plant-based family we use vegan-friendly ingredients so we use soya milk for our malt loaf but you can use your usual milk if preferred.
Nutrition
Comments
We would love to know what you think of our Old-Fashioned Malt Loaf recipe so do drop us a comment below. All feedback is very much appreciated. Thanks so much! Jacq x
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