Jamaican Easter Bun

A loaf of Easter bun partially sliced and laid out on a serving platter next to two cups of tea and a plate with cheddar cheese slices.

5 from 1 vote

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."

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 5

Servings: slices

Author: Shareba Abdul

Equipment

loaf pan 9 x 5 inches
Mixing Spoon
Silicone Spatula
Whisk
large baking pan
Cake Tester

Ingredients

4 oz salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup strawberry syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup stout (Guinness or other)
3 teaspoon browning
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup raisins washed with warm water and drained
½ cup mixed candied fruit (citrus peel and/or cherries)
1 large egg beaten

Glaze

1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ tablespoon warm water

Instructions

Grease and flour a loaf pan. Cut a rectangular piece of parchment and place it inside the greased pan on the bottom.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Then add sugar, syrup, spices, browning and vanilla extract. Stir with a spoon to combine.
Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is a smooth consistency, remove the pan from heat. Pouring the warm mixture into a heat-proof mixing bowl, using a silicone spatula to scrape out the pan.
In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda with a whisk.
Once the wet ingredients have cooled, pour in stout and stir to combine. Then add the beaten egg and combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients one large spoonful at a time, and whisk to combine. Repeat until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients.
Use a spoon to gentle fold in the raisins and mixed fruit into the dough. Then pour into the prepared loaf pan.
Boil water in a kettle (you'll need this for baking the bun).
Place the loaf pan onto a larger pan and place into the oven. Pour boiling water from a kettle into the larger pan until it reaches about halfway up the side of the loaf pan.
Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven but leave in the pan.
Make the glaze by combining the remaining brown sugar with warm water. Brush over the top of the loaf immediately and return to oven for 5 minutes.
Allow loaf to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and set on a cooling rack. Allow loaf to cool completely before slicing.
Serve with butter or cheddar cheese slices.

Notes

Tips:

Make sure stout and egg are at room temperature. This makes it easier to incorporate them into the dough.
If you're worried about your fruit sinking in the dough, you can toss it with 1 tablespoon of flour (reserved from the 3 cup measurement) before folding it in.

Storage:

Wrap the loaf in plastic food wrap or store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a week.

You may need to warm up the slices of bun after a few days, to make it taste fresh again.

Safety:

Be careful not to touch the oven rack when adding the boiling water to the large pan in the oven. If you choose to add the boiling water to the pan before placing it in the oven, be careful not to splash yourself while moving the pan.

If you don't feel comfortable using the water bath beneath your loaf pan, don't use it. The loaf should still bake just fine, it might just be a bit drier in texture.

Nutrition