Selkirk Bannock
A round, buttery yeasted loaf packed with sultanas, from Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. Lovely sliced and buttered with tea, and a fine gift at Hogmanay.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min to 35 min
- Total
- 3 hr 50 min to 3 hr 55 min
- Makes
- 1 large loaf (about 12 slices)
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Course
- Bread
- Cuisine
- Scottish
The total includes about 2½ hours rising and proving, which depends on how warm your kitchen is.
Despite the name, a Selkirk bannock is nothing like a flat oat bannock. It is a rich, round loaf of sweet yeasted dough, heavy with sultanas, that has been baked in the Borders town of Selkirk since the 19th century.
The secret is adding the fruit after the first rise, so the dough rises freely first. Serve it in thick slices, plain or buttered, or toasted the next day.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
Dough
- 500 g strong white bread flour (US: bread flour), plus extra for dusting
- 7 g fast-action dried yeast, 1 sachet
- 1 tsp salt
- 50 g caster sugar (US: superfine sugar)
- 100 g butter, melted
- 300 ml milk, lukewarm
- 350 g sultanas (US: golden raisins)
Glaze
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
Equipment
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- Baking trayHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Large mixing bowlHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Digital kitchen scalesHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, yeast, salt and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl, keeping the salt away from the yeast at first. Add the melted butter and lukewarm milk and mix to a soft dough.
- 2
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, until smooth and springy. Return to the bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for 1–1½ hours, until doubled in size.
- 3
Tip the dough out and press it flat. Scatter over the sultanas and knead gently for a minute or two until they are evenly spread. Some will pop out; just push them back in.
- 4
Shape into a round about 20 cm across and put it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover loosely and leave for 45–60 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas 5 / 375°F.
- 5
Bake for 30–35 minutes, until deep golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- 6
Warm the milk and sugar together until the sugar dissolves, and brush it over the hot bannock as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cool on a rack before slicing.
Tips
Soak the sultanas in hot tea for 30 minutes and dry them well for plumper fruit. A pair of digital scales makes bread far more reliable than cups. For more Scottish baking, try shortbread or black bun for Hogmanay.
Storage and leftovers
Keep wrapped in a tin or bread bin for 2 to 3 days, then toast it. To freeze, slice it first and wrap well; toast slices straight from frozen.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dough did not rise | Milk too hot, killing the yeast, or a cold kitchen | Use milk that feels just warm on your wrist, and give it longer somewhere warm |
| Burnt sultanas on top | Fruit sitting on the surface | Tuck the fruit under the surface when shaping, and cover with foil if browning fast |
| Dense and heavy | Fruit added too early or not proved long enough | Add fruit after the first rise and let it puff up fully before baking |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Selkirk bannock and a bannock?
A traditional bannock is a flat, unleavened round of oats or barley. A Selkirk bannock is a sweet yeasted loaf full of sultanas.
How long does a Selkirk bannock keep?
Two or three days wrapped in a tin or bread bin. After that it is best toasted. It also freezes well, sliced.
Can I make the dough in a bread machine?
Yes. Use the dough setting, then add the sultanas by hand after the cycle finishes and shape and bake as above.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
Buying guide
Baking Paper, Greaseproof and Tin Liners: Which to Use
How-to
Essential Equipment for British Baking
Buying guide
Mixing Bowls: Glass, Steel or Ceramic?
Buying guide
Kitchen Scales for Baking: What to Look For
Buying guide
Baking Trays and Bun Tins: What You Need
Kitchen design
How Much Food for Christmas Dinner? Quantities Per Person
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Card photos: Cake batter in a round springform tin lined with baking paper, User:Nillerdk via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0, cropped; Small cakes cooling on a wire rack, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A traditional mechanical kitchen scale, Berthold Werner via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A long table laid for Christmas dinner with crackers, glasses and starters, Ruth Hartnup from Vancouver, Canada via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A black bun cut open to show the dense, dark fruit filling inside its pastry case, IMBJR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A plate of clapshot, mashed potato and swede with chives, beside oatcakes, Mutt Lunker via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A round, dark clootie dumpling on a plate, Matt Riggott from Reykjavik, Iceland via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.