This Sri Lankan Breudher is a gentle blend of bread and cake. When my Sri Lankan friend Nadee told me about this Christmas cake recipe that starts out with bread dough, I expected something like stollen or panettone. Instead, what emerged from my oven was not bread at all. It was Sri Lankan Breudher—a delicious cake, soft, buttery, and dotted with fruit, absolutely perfect for the holidays.
Watch my video below for a simple, step-by-step guide to making this delicious Sri Lankan Breudher! If you enjoy it, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more recipes!
Looking for a Unique Christmas Cake? Meet Sri Lankan Breudher!
Honestly, if you’ve never tried Sri Lankan Breudher, I’d say it’s time. It might just become your new favorite cake!
- A Christmas Cake Like No Other: It’s not quite bread, not quite cake—but something uniquely soft, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth good.
- Rich, Buttery Flavor: This isn’t a dry fruitcake. The butter makes it rich, tender, and just the right amount of indulgent.
- Light Yet Festive: Unlike dense fruitcakes, Breudher has a delicate, airy texture while still being packed with warm spices and fruit.
- Easy to Make: No complicated techniques, just simple steps that come together beautifully.
- Smells Like the Holidays: The scent of butter, spices, and fruit baking together? Pure magic.
- A Family Tradition: This is one of those recipes that brings people together. To me, making it feels like Christmas has officially begun.
Did You Know? Breudher was introduced by the Dutch during colonial times. It is similar to Dutch butter cakes but has a Sri Lankan twist with nutmeg and sometimes fermented palm sap (toddy) for extra flavor.
What You Need to Make Soft and Buttery Sri Lankan Breudher
To me, the best holiday recipes are the ones that fill the kitchen with warmth and the scent of something truly special. That’s exactly what Breudher does—simple ingredients coming together to make something rich, soft, and festive. Let’s get baking!
For the Fruit Mixture:
- 1/3 cup (60 grams) sultanas
- 2 tablespoons (20 grams) candied citrus peel
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) allspice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) nutmeg powder
- 1 tablespoon (6 grams) sugar syrup
- 1 tablespoon (3 grams) rose water
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For the Yeast Mixture:
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) instant dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) white caster sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 grams) lukewarm milk
For the Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- A pinch of salt
For the Batter:
- 1/4 cup (52 grams) softened unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (104 grams) brown sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (40 grams) golden syrup
- 3 tablespoons (20 grams) milk
- 1 teaspoon (3.5 grams) baking soda
For the Baking:
- Butter or oil for greasing the pan
Fun Fact – In Sri Lanka, Breudher is traditionally eaten with a slice of cheese. It might sound unusual, but the sweet-salty combo is amazing! If you are curious, try it with your favorite cheese and see what you think!
How to Make Soft and Buttery Sri Lankan Breudher
Want to bake a Christmas cake that’s rich, buttery, and filled with warm, festive flavors? I’ll walk you through exactly how to make Sri Lankan Breudher, step by step. With a few simple techniques, you’ll get that perfect balance of light, fluffy texture and delicious, spiced fruit in every bite.
Step 1: Prepare the Fruit Mixture
This step is super important because it gives the cake its rich, spiced flavor. In a small bowl, mix together sultanas, candied citrus peel, allspice, nutmeg, rose water, and sugar syrup. Give everything a good stir so the fruit gets evenly coated.
Top Tip — If you have time, let this fruit soak sit for a few hours or, even better, 3–4 days. The longer it soaks, the deeper and more intense the flavor will be. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!
Step 2: Activate the Yeast
In another bowl, mix instant dry yeast, caster sugar, and lukewarm milk. Stir it well and let it sit for about 10 minutes. You should see little bubbles forming on the surface—this means your yeast is alive and ready to do its magic. If nothing happens, your yeast might be expired, so grab a fresh batch and try again.
Step 3: Make the Dough
Now it’s time to bring everything together! Sift the all-purpose flour into a large bowl. (I always sift—it keeps the dough nice and light.) Pour in the yeast mixture, then add the egg and a pinch of salt.
Mix until you have a soft dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place it somewhere warm. Let it rest for about an hour, until it doubles in size. Watching dough rise is always a little satisfying, don’t you think?
Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugar
While the dough is rising, let’s get started on the batter. In another bowl, using an electric mixer beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until it’s light, creamy, and fluffy. This step is key for that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Pro Tip – Make sure your butter is softened before creaming it with sugar—this gives you a smoother batter and a softer cake.
Step 5: Add the Egg Yolks
Now, add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. You’ll end up with a smooth, golden mixture. It already smells amazing at this point!
Step 6: Incorporate the Dough
This is where things start to come together. Take your risen dough and start adding it, little by little, to the butter-sugar mixture. Keep mixing until everything is smooth and well combined.
Step 7: Add the Final Ingredients
Now, stir in the golden syrup, milk, and baking soda. Give it a good mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
Step 8: Fold in the Fruit
Time to add that flavorful fruit mixture! Gently fold it into the batter, making sure the fruit is distributed evenly.
Step 9: Prepare the Cake Pan
Grease a bundt cake tin with butter or oil to prevent sticking. Pour in the batter, smoothing out the top so it bakes evenly.
Quick Note – No bundt pan? No problem! You can use a regular round cake pan—just adjust the baking time slightly.
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Step 10: Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 11: Cool and Enjoy
Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a wire rack. Once fully cooled, slice and serve. And there you have it—a soft, buttery, and beautifully spiced Sri Lankan Breudher! One bite, and I promise you’ll want to make this a holiday tradition.
Looking for a perfect pairing? This two-ingredient is rich, and creamy ice cream, and goes amazingly with this cake. So simple, yet so good—give it a try!
Sri Lankan Christmas Breudher Recipe
8
servings2
hours40
minutes320
kcal2
hours40
minutesTo me, Sri Lankan is more than just a cake—it’s the taste of celebration, tradition, and pure comfort. The rich, buttery dough, the warm hint of spice, and the bursts of sweet fruit come together in the most irresistible way. Light yet indulgent, it’s the kind of festive treat you’ll want to bake every holiday season—not just because it’s delicious, but because it makes every bite feel like a little taste of Christmas magic.
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Ingredients
1/3 cup (60 grams) sultanas
2 tablespoons (20 grams) candied citrus peel
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) allspice powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) nutmeg powder
1 tablespoon (3 grams) rose water
1 tablespoon (6 grams) sugar syrup
1 teaspoon (3 grams) instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon (4 grams) white caster sugar
1/2 cup (125 grams) lukewarm milk
1 1/2 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1 large egg, room temperature
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup (52 grams) softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup (104 grams) brown sugar
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons (40 grams) golden syrup
2 tablespoons (20 grams) milk
1 teaspoon (3.5 grams) baking soda
oil or melted butter for greasing the pan
Directions
- Mix the Fruit: This is where all the festive flavors begin! In a small bowl, combine the sultanas, candied citrus peel, allspice, nutmeg, rose water, and sugar syrup. Stir well so the fruit absorbs all the delicious flavors. If you have time, let it sit for a few hours—or even better, a few days—for an extra rich taste.
- Get the Yeast Going: In another bowl, mix the instant dry yeast, caster sugar, and lukewarm milk. Give it a quick stir and let it rest for about 10 minutes. If you see tiny bubbles forming, that means your yeast is alive and ready to do its job. No bubbles? Your yeast might be old—try again with a fresh batch!
- Form the Dough: Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl (sifting makes a difference—it keeps everything light and airy). Add the yeast mixture, followed by the egg and a pinch of salt. Mix until you get a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm spot for about an hour until it puffs up and doubles in size.
- Beat the Butter and Sugar: While the dough is rising, grab another bowl and beat the softened butter with the brown sugar. An electric mixer works best here—it’ll make the mixture light, fluffy, and super smooth, which is key for a soft cake.
- Stir in the Egg Yolks: Add the egg yolks one by one, mixing well after each addition. The batter will become rich and creamy. At this point, the aroma alone will have you excited for the final result!
- Combine the Dough and Batter: Once your dough has risen, start adding it gradually to the butter-sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Take your time with this step—mixing it slowly helps create that perfect Breudher texture that’s somewhere between cake and bread.
- Add the Last Few Ingredients: Now, stir in the golden syrup, milk, and baking soda. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
- Toss in the Fruit: Gently fold in the soaked fruit mixture, making sure it’s evenly spread throughout the batter. Every bite should have a little burst of sweetness!
- Get the Cake Pan Ready: Grease a bundt cake tin with butter or oil so your cake doesn’t stick. Pour in the batter, smoothing out the top so it bakes evenly.
- Time to Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let It Cool and Enjoy: Once it’s done baking, let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack. Once it’s fully cooled, slice it up and enjoy! You’re officially one step closer to making Sri Lankan Breudher a new holiday tradition.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Warm up your ingredients – One thing I always do is bring my eggs, butter, and milk to room temperature before starting. It helps everything blend smoothly and gives the cake a better texture. Cold ingredients can mess with the yeast activation, so don’t skip this step!
- Use a little orange or lemon zest – If you love a citrusy kick, try adding a teaspoon of finely grated orange or lemon zest to the batter. It brightens up the flavors and pairs beautifully with the warm spices and fruit.
- Don’t rush the resting time – I know it’s tempting to speed things up, but letting the dough rise properly is key to getting that light, fluffy texture. If your kitchen is cold, place the bowl near a warm oven or wrap it in a towel to help it along.
- Store it the right way – Breudher tastes even better the next day, so if you have leftovers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container.
- Test for doneness the right way – Instead of just looking for a golden top, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), it’s done!
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 320kcal
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Protein: 5g
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Related Recipe: If you like this Christmas cake then you will absolutely love this Sri Lankan sweet and moist fruit cake recipe also…
Want to Try Something Different? Here Are Some Fun Variations!
One thing I love about Breudher is how easy it is to make it your own. Here are some ideas to try!
- Soak the fruit in rum or brandy – If you love boozy Christmas cakes, try soaking your fruit in rum instead of sugar syrup. It gives the cake a deeper, more festive flavor.
- Add some nuts for crunch – A handful of chopped almonds or cashews can add a bit of texture to the soft cake.
- Try a citrus twist – A little orange or lemon zest in the batter brings out the warm spice flavors even more.
- Make it extra indulgent – Some people drizzle a little golden syrup or honey over a slice before serving. It’s not traditional, but it’s delicious!
Why Your Breudher Might Not Turn Out Right (And How to Fix It!)
Even the best recipes can go wrong sometimes, but don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! If your Breudher didn’t turn out as expected, here are some common issues and how to fix them next time.
- Too Dense? – Your yeast might not have activated properly. Make sure your milk is warm (not hot!) and give it enough time to bubble.
- Didn’t Rise? – The dough needs a warm spot to proof. If your kitchen is cold, try placing it near a warm oven or covering it with a towel.
- Too Dry? – Overbaking is usually the culprit. Check your cake a few minutes before the timer goes off by inserting a skewer in the center.
- Fruit Sank to the Bottom? – Try tossing your dried fruit in a little flour before mixing it into the batter. This helps keep it evenly distributed.
Pairing Ideas: What Goes Best with Sri Lankan Breudher?
Breudher is amazing on its own, but pairing it with the right flavors makes it even better! Here are some ideas:
- A hot cup of tea – The warm spices in chai or Ceylon tea complement the cake beautifully.
- Fresh fruit – Slices of mango, pineapple, or even berries add a fresh contrast to the buttery richness.
- A scoop of ice cream – Vanilla, coconut, or even spiced rum ice cream can turn Breudher into an extra indulgent dessert.
- Cheese! – A Sri Lankan classic. Try a mild, creamy cheese like Edam for a sweet-salty combination that just works.
Tried this Sri Lankan Breudher recipe? Let me know how it turned out! If you have any questions about making this soft, buttery Christmas cake, leave a comment below or on the YouTube video here—I check those more often, so you’ll get a quicker reply. – Jen