Jamaican Easter Bun

Jamaican Easter bun is a sweet quick-bread made with stout, warm spices and candied fruit.

It is often enjoyed with cheddar cheese, earning it the nickname "bun and cheese."

What is Easter Bun?

Jamaica's spice bun evolved from the British tradition of eating hot cross buns on Good Friday, and over time, it became the iconic Easter Bun enjoyed across the island.

The ingredients for this recipe vary from household to household. For example, stout seems to be a common ingredient, but some people prefer to use wine instead.

You can sweeten the dough with molasses, honey or brown sugar (or a mixture). Some people like to add mixed peel, while others leave it out.

Lisa's mom's recipe uses brown sugar, browning, stout and a sweet strawberry syrup to add flavour and colour to the baked bun. This version does not have yeast.

I used the same ingredients from Lisa's mom's recipe, but reduced the quantities to make just one loaf.

Since this isn't my recipe, I consulted Lisa and my friend Brian (also of Jamaican heritage) to help me write this blog post.

They shared what they usually include in their Easter bun recipe, how to serve the dish, what to eat it with and more.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are basic (all-purpose flour, baking soda, etc.), but here are some descriptions and substitutions that you may find helpful.

• Butter: I used salted butter. Substitute with margarine.
• Brown Sugar: Adds a caramel flavour to the bun and glaze. Substitute with white granulated sugar.
• Strawberry Syrup: This is a sweet Strawberry flavoured syrup that Lisa's mom used specifically in her recipe. Substitute with strawberry or guava jam.
• Stout: I used Guinness, but you can use any stout. Substitute with red wine or a non-alcoholic stout.
• Browning: This ingredient is integral to many Caribbean dishes. It's made from deeply caramelized sugar and sometimes contains salt. The liquid is very thick. Substitute with molasses.
• Raisins: I used dark raisins. Substitute with golden raisins, currants, or omit entirely.
• Mixed Candied Fruit: I used a combination of candied citrus peels and candied cherries (not Maraschino cherries). Substitute with only candied citrus peel, only candied cherries, dried fruit, or omit the fruit entirely.
• Ground Allspice is a unique spice that tastes like a combination of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. If you don't have any, you can make a quick ground allspice substitute instead.

Remember, while these substitutions can work well, they might slightly alter the recipe's taste, texture, or overall outcome.

How to Make Easter Bun

This quick bread recipe is similar to making a cake: You combine the dry and wet ingredients separately and then combine them before baking.

The only difference here is that we will warm up the wet ingredients first.

Prepare the Wet and Dry Ingredients

Step 1: In a saucepan, melt butter, sugar, syrup, spices, browning and vanilla. Remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl to cool.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Step 3: Once the wet ingredients have cooled, pour in stout and mix until combined. Then add the beaten egg.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one large spoonful at a time.

Finish the Dough

Once the wet and dry ingredients have been incorporated, it's time to add the fruit, prepare the loaf pan and bake.

Step 5: Gently fold the raisins and mixed fruit into the dough. Tip: If you're worried about the fruit sinking to the bottom of the loaf, you can lightly coat it with flour before adding to the dough.

Step 6: Grease loaf pan with butter and dust with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Adding a piece of parchment to the bottom of the pan is also helpful.

Step 7: Once you pour the batter into the loaf pan, it gets baked in a 325°F oven with a water bath underneath.

To set up the water bath, place your loaf pan on top of a larger pan and place in the oven. Then add boiling water from a kettle to fill the large pan until it reaches about halfway up the loaf pan.

You could fill the pan with boiling water before placing it in the oven, however I don't recommend it as you could easily burn yourself this way.

How to Eat Easter Bun

You can enjoy this sweet, flavourful loaf in a few different ways.

First, it's typical to enjoy a slice or two of bun with cheddar cheese. The cheese's saltiness balances the bun's sweetness and makes for a very tasty bite.

Another option is to eat a warm slice with some butter. Of course, you can enjoy it on its own as well.

Frequently Asked Questions