Date and toffee hot cross loaf

Make one large hot cross loaf instead of buns for a change, and enjoy a slice with tea on Good Friday.

A fruity hot cross bun loaf with one slice slathered in butter

By Saga Magazine | Published - 27 Mar 2026

Prep time

20 mins

Cooking time

40 mins

Ingredients

For the loaf

450g plain flour
2 x 7g sachets of fast-action dried yeast
1 level teaspoon of salt
150ml milk
1 egg
50g caster sugar
50g butter (room temperature)
100g dates, chopped
50g toffee chunks

For the cross

75g plain flour
Water

For the glaze

Apricot jam

Method

Put all the ingredients, except the dates and toffee, into your bread maker, following the maker’s instructions for raising dough. If your bread maker doesn't have a nut dispenser, add the dates and toffee when it beeps.
Take the dough out of the bread maker, shape it and place it into a loaf tin measuring 22cm x 12cm.
Cover the tin with a clean tea towel and leave it to prove in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
Pre-heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4. To make the cross, mix the ﬂour and water, and pipe a cross on top of the uncooked loaf. Bake for approx. 40 minutes.
To make the glaze, warm the jam with some water in a pan until softened. When the loaf comes out of the oven, brush the top of it with the glaze. Let the loaf cool slightly in the tin before turning out.

Our thanks to Carr's Flour for providing this recipe.

(Hero image credit: Carr's Flour)

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