If you're interested in bread making but haven't tried your hand at it before, or you're looking for something a bit different, I nearly always recommend soda bread, like this fruit loaf.

Easy, delicious homemade fruit loaf featuring summer berries - shown here toasted and topped with summer fruits and bananas

It's super easy to make and very quick as there's no proving or kneading.

For this recipe I've replaced the more traditional buttermilk with Onken Plain Grain, a slightly sweetened plain yogurt made extra delicious with addition of 5 grains - Barley, Oats, Rye, Wheat and Rice. I've also added some fruit and nuts to make this loaf extra special.

And let me tell you, the crumb turned out even better than I hoped it would! The yogurt made the whole thing just that little bit extra chewy and the fruit loaf was sublime when served sliced and toasted, topped with sliced banana, honey and a drizzle of Onken Plain Grain for the perfect Summer treat.

So, on with the cooking! Here’s how to make this fab recipe for a healthy summer breakfast, which makes one large loaf.

Onken Plain Grain, used in this recipe instead of buttermilk, creating a delicious crumb

Ingredients

For the loaf:

250g (9 oz) self-raising wholemeal flour (plus up to 50g when shaping)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
450g (1 post) Onken Plain Grain yogurt
1 medium free range egg
30g (1 oz) sunflower seeds
20g (0.7 oz) raisins
20g (0.7 oz) dried apricots, chopped
15g (0.5 oz) pumpkin seeds
15g (0.5 oz) dried cranberries
2 tbsp rolled oats

To top the toast for two:

2 bananas, sliced
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rolled oats
4 tbsp Onken Plain Grain

Instructions

To make the loaf

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/390F fan (220C/430F). Mix the flour, bicarb and salt in a large bowl.

Flour, bicarb and salt shown in a bowl ready to be mixed

Add the Onken Plain Grain and mix well.

Onken Plain Grain is added to the dry ingredients

Add the egg and mix well.

An egg is added to the ingredients and mixed well

Add the fruit and nuts and mix well.

Fruit and nuts are added and mixed well, to create a delicious fruit loaf dough

Tip the dough onto a well floured surface. Knead very briefly to form into a round. If it's too sticky, keep adding flour to your board and kneading through.

The fruit loaf dough, shown ready to be kneaded into shape before baking

Lift the dough onto a tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with the oats, then score some 1cm deep lines in the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.

Oats are sprinkled onto the fruit loaf before being baked in the oven

Bake for 20-25 minutes. To test if the loaf is baked through, turn the loaf over and tap on the bottom to see if it sounds hollow.

Freshly baked handmade fruit loaf, shown fresh from the oven

Leave the loaf to cool on a wire rack.

Allow your handmade fruit loaf to cool on a wire rack

Allow to cool completely before eating. Store in an airtight container until ready to eat.

To make the topped toast

Once cool, cut the loaf into 1cm slices.

Slice your fruit loaf, ready to toast and top with summer fruits

Toast 3 slices per person, then top with sliced banana, a squirt of honey, a scattering of oats and side of Onken Plain Grain.

Sliced handmade fruit loaf, shown here topped with bananas and summer fruits including blueberries and raspberries

Enjoy!

Which fruits would you add to make the perfect fruit loaf?

Looking for more delicious recipes featuring summer fruits? These yogurty breakfast muffins are a popular breakfast treat!

Print this fruity soda bread loaf recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Homemade fruit loaf with summer berries

A wonderfully chewy soda bread made with fresh summer berries for a hint of sweetness and yogurt instead of buttermilk for a unique crumb.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Bread

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: bread, fruit

Servings:

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

For the loaf

250 g (8.82 oz) wholemeal self-raising flour (self rising flour) (plus up to 50g when shaping)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
450 g 1 pot Onken Plain Grain
1 medium free range eggs
30 g (1.06 oz) sunflower seeds
20 g (0.71 oz) raisins
20 g (0.71 oz) dried apricots chopped
15 g (0.53 oz) pumpkin seeds
15 g (0.53 oz) dried cranberries
2 tbsp rolled oats

To top the toast for two

2 bananas sliced
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rolled oats
4 tbsp Onken Plain Grain