Hot Cross Loaf

Name: Hot Cross Loaf
Ingredients: 350 g cake flour; 10 g instant yeast; 85 g brown sugar; 50 g butter, cut into small pieces; 15 ml (1 tablespoon) milk powder; 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt; 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon; 10 ml (2 teaspoons) mixed spice; 175 g mixed dried fruit; 250 ml (1 cup) luke warm water; topping:; 30 ml (2 tablespoons) cake flour; 60 ml (4 tablespoons) caster sugar

Bake this fruity Easter loaf and serve warm, cut into slices and spread with butter. The loaf can be frozen.

Published 1 February 2026

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 ºC (350 ºF). Grease and line a loaf tin.
Mix all the ingredients except the mixed fruit in a food processor to form a dough. Add the dried fruit and mix well.
Transfer the dough to the loaf tin and smooth the top. Cover with plastic cling film and leave to rise until double in size. Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes.
For the topping, blend the flour with 30 ml cold water to a smooth paste. Spoon it into a small plastic bag and snip off a corner. Half an hour before the end off the cooking time, pipe three crosses along the top of the loaf.
When the loaf is done, remove from the oven. Place the caster sugar in a small saucepan with 60 ml (4 tablespoons) of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes to make a syrup. Spread the syrup over the loaf with a brush. Leave to cool and freeze or serve warm, cut into slices and buttered.