Hot cross buns are one of the best things about spring, full stop. But shaping individual buns and piping all those crosses can be a bit of a faff when you just want to get spiced, fruity bread on the table. Enter: the hot cross bun loaf. All the same warm spices, plump dried fruit, and sticky glaze, but in a simple pull-apart loaf that takes half the effort.
I first made this for a lazy Easter brunch and it was an instant hit — everyone tearing off pieces while it was still warm from the oven, slathered with butter.
Ingredients
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 75g caster sugar
- 1½ tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp salt
- 50g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 280ml warm milk
- 150g mixed dried fruit (sultanas, currants, mixed peel)
For the cross paste
- 75g plain flour
- 5-6 tbsp water
For the glaze
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
- 1 tbsp water
Method
- Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, spices, citrus zest, and salt in a large bowl. Add the melted butter, egg, and warm milk. Mix to a soft dough.
- Turn out and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly sticky but not wet. Add the dried fruit in the last couple of minutes of kneading.
- Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise for 1½ hours until doubled.
- Knock back and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball. Arrange in two rows of four in a greased 900g loaf tin or a 23cm square tin. Cover and prove for 40 minutes until puffy and touching.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Mix the cross paste ingredients to a thick pipeable consistency. Pipe crosses over the buns.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Heat the apricot jam with the water, sieve, and brush generously over the hot buns for a sticky glaze.
- Best served warm, torn apart, with plenty of salted butter.
These keep well overnight wrapped in foil. To refresh them the next day, wrap the whole loaf in foil and warm in a 160°C oven for 10 minutes. They also toast beautifully — split and toast under the grill until just catching at the edges.
