Spice Bun

By Brigid Washington

Updated March 26, 2024

Spice Bun
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
3¼ hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1½ hours, plus 1½ hours’ cooling
Rating
4(107)
Comments
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Widely believed to be a descendant of hot cross buns, this Jamaican spice bun soars with vibrant spices. It boasts a moist, tender crumb, and a rich, earthy hue thanks to the inclusion of molasses and stout. While this anytime snack is enjoyed year-round on the island, it’s also a beloved Lenten and Easter tradition for many. Typically, it’s served with a generous slice of sharp Cheddar cheese, but spreading a small pat of good salted butter on a piece of the warm, straight-from-the-oven loaf also delivers a special kind of pleasure.

Featured in: An Easter Loaf Baked With Fruit, Spices and Caribbean Sun

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Ingredients

Yield:One 9-inch loaf
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 3large eggs
  • 1¼cups/275 grams packed dark brown sugar
  • 1cup/225 grams stout beer
  • ⅓cup/66 grams vegetable oil
  • ⅓cup/100 grams unsulphured molasses
  • 2teaspoons aromatic bitters (such as Angostura)
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2cups/240 grams all-purpose flour
  • 2teaspoons baking powder
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1cup/about 14 ounces maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped
  • 1medium navel orange, zested and juiced (about ½ tablespoon zest and ⅓ cup juice)
  • ½cup/60 grams raisins
  • ½cup/60 grams golden raisins
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with enough parchment paper to create an overhang on two long sides.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, beer, oil, molasses, bitters and vanilla; whisk to combine. The mixture should be dark and viscous.

  3. Step 3

    In the same bowl, add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves and salt. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold all of the ingredients to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl. (Some small lumps are OK.)

  4. Step 4

    Gently stir in the cherries, orange zest and juice, and all the raisins, then pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.

  5. Step 5

    Bake on the center rack until the edges of the spice bun pull away from the sides of the pan, 70 to 75 minutes. Because the batter is dark, it is important to keep an eye on visual cues for doneness. Around the 70-minute mark, insert a cake tester into the center of the loaf; if it comes out with a few loose crumbs attached, the loaf is done. If the tester comes out with a thick smear of batter, bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. (It is typical for the top of the loaf to crack.)

  6. Step 6

    Remove the loaf from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Next, use the parchment to lift the loaf out of the pan and transfer to the rack to cool completely.

Ratings

4 out of 5
107 user ratings
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Comments

KittyDaddy

While this bun was in the oven today, the plumber arrived to deal with a wonky drain. Upon entering, I could see he was taking care to enjoy the aroma of the baking bun which had filled the house. Although he quickly solved the drainage problem, he refused to leave before the bun was out of the oven and he had inhaled several pieces… but only after I had negotiated a reduction in his bill. Yes, it is THAT good.

V

The definition of “forgiving recipe” must be one where you only realize after the oddly soupy batter has been in the oven for 6 minutes that you had forgotten to add the brown sugar, so you take the hot soupy batter out, quickly mix it in a bowl with the sugar, then slap it back in the oven… and it still turns out! Well, some odd bits of very sweet and not so sweet chunks from the sugar not being fully incorporated, but I’m looking forward to making it again properly!! LOL.

Bunman

The smell alone...heavenly! Works well with extra sharp cheese.

Kateclancy

So I’ve never had a lick of Jamaican food in my life (which I realize is my fault), but I saw this and mentioned it to a very senior, well-respected colleague who happens to be Jamaican. His usually stoic face lit up when I asked him about it and said “Oh yes! Bun!” So I made this for him, not knowing what the real thing should look or taste like. The next day he came to me first thing in the morning and said “Have you ever had bun?” I said no, I made it totally ignorant of what it should be. He said “I’ve had bun IN Jamaica, and yours is better”. *!!??!* Guess I’ll make it again. Lol!

Sharon B

My bun smelled great, raisins on bottom, too dense for my taste.

Betty

I have made this three times. The first time, I had no maraschino cherries so I used dried tart cherries. I had no angostura bitters so I used Grand Marnier instead and I added walnuts. It was awesome. The second time, I went out and got maraschino cherries and bitters and followed the original recipe. I actually like it better with the tart dried cherries and Grand Marnier. I also cut back on the brown sugar to one cup and omitted the molasses. The third time I used pecans. Thanks for publishing this recipe. It makes a great dessert, breakfast bread or treat with afternoon tea.

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