Easter is here so why not make this Jamaican spiced bun recipe to enjoy over the Easter period. The bun is sweet and spicy with a soft texture and goes perfectly with plain butter or some cheese.

Spiced bun or Easter bun as it is sometimes known is very popular in Jamaica. It is mostly eaten around Easter but is generally enjoyed all year round. Over the years, it has become much popular in the UK and around Easter it is sold in many supermarkets.
This bun is known as spiced bun as it has spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. I also use mixed spice which contains other spices such as cloves and ginger. This bun is usually served with Jamaican cheese but I serve mine with mature cheddar cheese and it makes the perfect Easter Treat.
Ingredients for Jamaican Spiced Bun
For the full list of ingredients and measurements, scroll to the recipe card below.
Ingredients to Soak the Fruit
- Mixed fruit - a combination of sultanas, currants and raisins.
- Glacé cherries - or dried cranberries.
- Ruby port - or sweet red wine.
Bun Ingredients
- Flour - I use self-raising flour but you can use plain flour and add baking powder.
- Salt - I use sea salt.
- Spices - for this Jamaican spice bun recipe I use cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice to flavour the bun.
- Butter - use unsalted butter.
- Oil - vegetable oil, canola or rapeseed oil.
- Sugar - I use dark brown sugar for a rich colour.
- Egg - use a room temperature egg.
- Honey - I use pure clear honey.
- Black treacle - or molasses
- Vanilla extract – or vanilla bean paste.
- Guinness - or any stout.
Glaze Ingredients
- Jam – I use apricot jam.
- Water - to loosen the jam.

How to Make Jamaican Spiced Bun
Soak the fruit
Soak the fruit overnight before making the bun. To do this, add the mixed fruit, glacé cherries and Ruby port to a bowl. Stir the fruit then cover with clingfilm and set aside at room temperature.
Preheat the oven and line a loaf tin
Preheat the oven to 180oC and line a 2lb/900g loaf tin with parchment paper then set the pan aside.
Prepare the dry ingredients
Add the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spices to a medium sized bowl then whisk to combine and set aside.
Melt the butter
Add the butter to a microwaveable bowl and melt in the microwave for around 30 seconds or until fully melted.
Prepare the wet ingredients
To a mixing bowl, add the melted butter, vegetable oil and sugar then mix until combined. Mix in the egg, honey, black treacle and vanilla extract then pour and mix in the Guinness.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and combine until smooth. Add in the soaked fruit with the ruby port and combine well.
Bake
Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Make the glaze
Add the apricot jam and water to a small saucepan. Place it on a medium heat and stir until it becomes runny. Use a pastry brush to brush the top of the bun with the jam.
Cool
Place the baking tin on a cooling rack and allow the glazed bun to cool in the tin for 1 hour. Remove the bun from the tin and allow to completely cool directly on the cooling rack.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe requires a 2lb or 900g tin which measures around 9 x 5 inches.
- Make this bun in advance as the longer it sits the better it will taste.
- Ideally, you should wait a few days before slicing.
Storage
Wrap the bun in clingfilm and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition based on 1 serving - Calories: 292kcal | Fat: 5.7g | Saturates: 1.9g | Carbs: 50.6g | Sugar: 26.7g | Fibre: 1.5g | Protein: 4.1g | Salt: 0.49g.

Recipes You May Like!
Jamaican Spiced Bun
Ingredients
For Soaking the Fruit
- 100g mixed fruit
- 70g glacé cherries
- 110ml ruby port or any sweet red wine
For the Bun
- 395g self-raising flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- 35g unsalted butter
- 30ml vegetable oil
- 150g dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 50ml honey
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 230ml guinness stout
For the Glaze
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Soak the fruit: Soak the fruit the night before you bake the bun. To a small bowl, add the mixed fruit, glacé cherries and Ruby port. Stir the fruit then cover with clingfilm until needed the following day.
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350oF/180oC/160oC fan and line a 2lb/900g loaf tin with parchment paper then set the pan aside.
- Make the bun: To a medium sized bowl, add the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spices. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Add the butter to a microwaveable bowl and melt for around 30 seconds or until fully melted.
- To a mixing bowl, add the melted butter, vegetable oil and sugar then mix until combined. Mix in the egg, honey, black treacle and vanilla extract then pour and mix in the Guinness.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients that you set aside earlier and combine until smooth then fold in the soaked fruit with the ruby port.
- Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Make the glaze: Make the glaze by adding the apricot jam and the water to a small saucepan. Place it on a medium heat and heat until the jam becomes runny then use a pastry brush to brush the top of the bun with the jam.
- Place the baking tin on a cooling rack and allow the glazed bun to cool in the tin for 1 hour then remove the bun from the tin and allow to completely cool directly on the cooling rack.






Leave a Reply