For Easter I decided to make a hot cross bun cake. This made life a little easier time wise. Especially when organizing a family brunch for 7 people.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Hot Cross Bun Cake ♥
Hot Cross Buns
“Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs. With one or two a penny hot cross buns”
Despite being able to buy hot cross buns all year round, traditionally they are consumed on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent. In all likelihood, buns with crosses on them originate from the City of St. Albans just outside of London. They are first mentioned in 1361 when Brother Thomas Radcliffe baked an Alban Bun. These were distributed to the poor on Good Friday. Today’s version is a spiced bun, usually made with fruit. The cross represents the crucifixion of Christ. And the spices are reflective of the embalming spices that would have been used at his burial. It is surmised that orange peel is to remind people of the bitterness of his time on the cross.
Breaking with tradition
Traditionally, the cross was made using shortcrust pastry. But now, a paste of flour and water is used. For my recipe I have used royal icing. One can find all sorts of flavours such as chocolate; toffee; orange and cranberry. As well as salted caramel; apple and cinnamon; coffee; and sticky date. My favourite is the extra spicy ones available from a local store. More variations include cherries; butterscotch; banana; and white chocolate and raspberry. Then, there are the mini ones, perfect for little ones. And a loaf, which has molasses and spices and is made in the Caribbean Islands.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Hot Cross Bun Cake ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Hot Cross Bun Cake
Ingredients
- 170 g self-raising flour
- 170 g wholemeal flour
- 85 g xylitol
- 5 mls baking powder
- 2.5 mls fine salt
- 140 g golden sultanas
- 70 g mixed peel, diced
- 5 mls mixed spice
- 5 mls ground cinnamon
- 2.5 mls ground nutmeg
- 1 orange, zest only
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 265 mls milk
- 2 eggs
- 55 g butter, melted and left to cool slightly
- 50 g orange marmalade
- royal icing for the cross
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius
- Place the flour, xylitol, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk to combine
- Add the currants, mixed peel, spices and zest and stir to combine
- Place the milk into a mixing jug and add the eggs
- Whisk until the eggs are completely slackened
- Add the butter and whisk to combine
- Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well using a spatula
- Pour into a lined 20cm round cake tin and flatten the batter as best as you can
- Place into the oven and bake for 55 minutes
- Just before the time is up, place the marmalade into a microwave proof bowl
- Place into the microwave and zap for 30 seconds to melt the marmalade
- Take the cake out of the oven and brush the marmalade over the top
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing
- Set aside to cool completely on a wire rack
- Make up the royal icing and paint or pipe a cross onto the cake before serving
See the links below for blog posts I published on March 26:
- 2023: Private Beijing
- 2022: Make Your Kitchen Look As Good As Your Food
- 2021: Buttermilk Flatbreads
- 2018: Apple, Vanilla And Cinnamon Iced Tea
- 2017: Woman of G-d
- 2015: Kadhai Sauce
- 2014: Market On The Wharf
- 2013: Onion Marmalade
- 2012: Croissants
I just bought and ate a jar of hot cross bites made with white chocolate and hot cross bun flavours. I could really taste the orange! I scoffed them down in a day! This cake looks equally delicious Tandy.
Oh my! I need those right now 😉
Great idea!
thank you Sheree 🙂
Looks delicious Tandy. I did not know that Hot Cross Buns actually had their own symbolism – now I know why they eat them on Easter!!
Glad you learnt something new here 🙂
It looks really good! Perfect for brunch.
I made this for our brunch last year 🙂