St Patrick's Day Fruit and Spice Bread

• oats (rolled breakfast oats)↗4 ounces
• flour, all-purpose↗7 ounces
• wholewheat flour (plus extra for dusting)↗7 ounces

  plus extra for dusting

• butter, firm, cut into small dice↗2 ounces
• superfine sugar↗4 ounces
• baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)↗1 teaspoon
• mixed spice2 teaspoons
• salt↗1 teaspoon
• raisins, golden, seedless (sultanas)↗4 ounces
• dates, finely chopped (fresh is lovely if available)↗2 ounces

  fresh is lovely if available

• mixed peel (dried mixed peel, used for Christmas baking)↗3 tablespoons

  dried mixed peel, used for Christmas baking

• buttermilk↗16 fluid oz
• vanilla↗2 teaspoons
• sugar, dark brown (demerara, or use any brown sugar)↗3 -4 tablespoons

  demerara, or use any brown sugar

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

2. 2

   In a food processor, whizz the oats and butter together. (Can also be done with fingertips, saving you cleaning the processor!).

3. 3

   Tip into a big bowl, and stir in the 2 flours, superfine sugar, baking soda, mixed spice, salt, raisins, dates and mixed peel.

4. 4

   Pour over the buttermilk and vanilla, and stir in briskly with a wooden spoon.

5. 5

   Tip on to a flour-dusted surface and gently form into a flattish ball. Transfer to a baking tin (cover it with baking paper first).

6. 6

   Sprinkle over the dark brown sugar (any brown sugar will do) and press the sugar in, all over the top. To be traditional, cut a cross in the top of the bread.

7. 7

   Bake for about 35 minutes, until crusty on the outside. Do test with a skewer, as ovens can vary a lot. Allow more baking time if necessary.

8. 8

   Nicest if eaten warm, in thick slices, slathered with real butter!