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
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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

  1. 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.
  2. Take the dough out of the bread maker, shape it and place it into a loaf tin measuring 22cm x 12cm.
  3. Cover the tin with a clean tea towel and leave it to prove in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
  4. 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.
  5. 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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