Guinness and Irish Cheddar Easy Loaf

This is one of my recent recipes from Country Kitchen Magazine. A super quick bread with no yeast. You can substitute other fizzy beers or cider which will change the flavour of the bread if you prefer. Given the addition of sugar to the bread, it is a sweet loaf, but goes very well with soups and pates.

Preparation time 15 minutes, proving 30 minutes, baking 45 – 50 minutes
Makes one 8 inch round loaf

250ml Guinness
350g/12½oz self raising flour, sifted
60g/2oz caster sugar
100g/3½oz strong Irish cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)
2 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/350F/180C and grease an 8inch round spring form tin. Place the Guinness, flour, sugar, grated cheese and seeds if using in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon until all the flour is combined. The dough will be sticky and not like a normal bread dough that you would kneed. Transfer the dough into the tin using a spatula and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes then drizzle the melted butter over the top of the loaf and return to the oven for a further 10 – 15 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it. Serve warm or cold. To freeze this bread, cut into slices and place in a zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.