Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Written by on in Bread

Every year around Easter you will notice a barrage of Hot Cross Bun recipes. You know those yeasted sweet buns that are filled with spices and raisins or currants and topped with a white cross made of icing. Well, instead of making all those buns I decided to just make a loaf. This loaf has all the same great spices like cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg swirled in the center plus the plump juicy raisins with a hint of orange flavor from the orange zest and topped off with the icing. This loaf is a great substitute for the individual buns.

Hot Cross Bun Loaf is perfect for a brunch table or just as a snack. It can be served warm with a bit of butter or just plain as is. Either way its a delicious snack.

I started by placing the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. I melted the butter then added the milk and granulated sugar, bringing the mixture to 110º. I poured the warm milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Then I stirred in the yeast and let it sit for about 10 minutes or until it became foamy.

In a separate medium bowl I added my flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt and I whisked it all together until it was combined.

I added the flour mixture to the yeast mixture along with the eggs, raisins and orange zest. Then placed the bowl in the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and kneaded the dough on medium speed for 10 minutes. Scraping down the sides of the bowl to form a ball. Cover dough ball with plastic wrap and place in a warm location and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

While the dough was rising I made the filling. In a small bowl, I stirred together the softened butter, cinnamon and brown sugar and set it aside.

I sprayed two 9” loaf pans with cooking spray and set them aside. Once the dough sat for two hours or was double in size, I remove it from the bowl and divide the dough in two equal halves. I rolled out each dough half on a lightly floured surface to a 8” square and spread half the filling on each. Then I rolled the dough into a log and pinched the seam to seal. I placed each dough log into a prepared loaf pan seam side down. Then placed them in an OFF oven with the oven light on for an additional 2 hours. Using the slight heat from the oven light allowed the loves to rise and become fluffy.

I removed the loafs from the oven, then preheated the oven to 350º. I brushed each loaf with egg wash and placed them back in the preheated oven on the middle rack. I baked the loaves for 35 minutes or until they were golden brown and started to pull away from the sides of the loaf pan. I removed the loaves from oven and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the icing I stirred together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and whisked until completely combined. I drizzled the icing over the loaves and set them on the side until icing dried. I cut the loaves into thick slices and served kwith softened butter.

Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 Cup whole milk
  • 1/4 Cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 Cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 Teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 Teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 Cup raisins
  • 1 Tablespoon grated orange zest

Filling:

  • 4 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
  • 2/3 Cup light brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 Egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Icing:

  • 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Teaspoon milk

Instructions:

  1. Melt butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Add milk and granulated sugar and stir to combine. Using a candy thermometer, bring mixture to 110º. Pour into a bowl of a stand mixer and add yeast. Set mixture on the side for 10 minutes or until foamy.
  2. In a separate large bowl whisk together all purpose flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Add flour mixture to yeast mixture along with eggs, raisins and orange zest. Mix well using a dough hook on medium low speed for 10 minutes. Scrape the dough down into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and store in a warm place for 2 hours or until double in size.cake
  3. Mean time to make your filling place the softened butter brown sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl and mix throughly.
  4. Spray two 9” loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside. Pour dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll each portion into a 8” square. Spread half the filling into the center of each square. Tightly roll up the dough to form a log and pinch seams closed to seal. Place each log seam side down into prepared loaf pans. Place in oven with the oven off but the oven light on for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The heat from the oven light will cause the loaves to rise and become fluffy.
  5. Remove loaves from oven. Preheat oven to 350º. Beat egg and water in a small bowl to create a egg wash. Brush the top of the loaves with egg wash, then place loaves back in preheated oven on the middle rack for 35 minutes or until golden brown and they start to pull away from the pan. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
  6. Once loaves are completely cooled place loaves on a rack. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Pour icing over loaves. Let icing dry lightly then serve.
  7. Enjoy.