Easter Buns: A Jamaican Tradition (Recipes For Baking Homemade Easter Buns)

 

Grace Foods, Apr 6, 2011

Mazie and Paulette Rhoden, the General Manager of Crimson Dawn Ltd. talk about cooking traditions during the Easter period which include the Jamaican favourite - Easter Bun!  Stick around to the end for a quick interview with Hope Kerr of Dairy Industries.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I  of a three part pancocojams series on Jamaican Easter bun.

This post showcases a YouTube video about Jamaican Easter traditions particularly around food. That video includes a demonstration of how that video host makes Easter buns.

This post includes selected comments from that video's discussion thread.

This post also presents two recipes for Easter buns- one linked to this video and the second from another online source.

Click ___ for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post presents the history of  Jamaican Easter buns and other information about this Jamaican tradition.

Click for Part III of this pancocojams series. Thant post presents several examples of Jamaican versions of the children's parody "I Believe I Can Fly" compared to some common United States examples of that children's parodies. These Jamaican examples of those parodies include references to "Easter bun".

The content of this post is presented for social and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Mazie for hosting this classic Jamaican television series. Thanks also to Paulette Rhoden for sharing information about Jamaican Easter traditions in this episode of that television show. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

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WHAT ARE JAMAICAN EASTER BUNS?
From  AI Overview

Jamaican Easter buns, specifically the "bun and cheese" tradition, evolved from British hot cross buns brought to the island in the 17th century. Over time, Jamaicans adapted the recipe, changing the small, yeast-based buns into a dense, spiced, molasses-heavy loaf often made with Guinness stout.

[...]

The Cheese Addition: A crucial part of the tradition is pairing the spiced loaf with cheddar cheese (particularly popular through Tastee Cheese, a brand manufactured in Jamaica since 1968).

Cultural Significance: This combination became a staple during the Easter season, particularly during Lent, serving as a staple cultural food regardless of religion."...
-snip-
Here's a definition for the word "stout" as it is used in this AI Overview write-up:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/stout
"stout
noun 

a dark, bitter type of beer"
-snip-
Recipes for Easter Buns don't always include stout or any other alcoholic beverage.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

1. @melissaG0707, 2012
"I enjoyed the video very much, the first guest brought back many Easter memories for me

I will def give the  bun a go"

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2. @1-blackcakequeen778, 2017
"I've been making my own Easter buns for quite some time now. The prices too high. If you stock up on the ingredients, namely the spices they will last a long time. Sweet likkle Jamaican ladies love their beautiful proper accent."

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3. @saulbenjamin6368, 2017
"easter in jamaica was a very peaceful and quiet time all that bun eating stuff wow those days was special in jamaica at easter time love my likkle island very much"

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4. @JADBTV, 2022
"When i was a child i love her shows her cooking mouthwatering"

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5. @Rj-nq4ml, 2023, 2023
"I come here every Easter to make a bun for my Jamaican mother in law , she loves it"

**
6.@cleopatrie, 2024
"Aunty Mazie, the original influencer."

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ONE RECIPE FOR JAMAICAN EASTER BUNS

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: This link to this recipe is given in the Grace Food video that is embedded at the top of this pancocojam post..There are many other recipes for how to make traditional Jmaican Easter buns. Some of these recipes can be found online]

https://gracefoods.com/recipe-a-z/recipe/1575-homemade-easter-bun Homemade Easter Bun

"Preparation time 10m

Cooking time 1h

Ingredients

For 8 Person(s)

 

Recipe

2 ounce(s) Margarine

1 bottle(s) stout

1/2 cup(s) wine

1 teaspoon(s) vanilla

1/2 tablespoon(s) Browning

1 tablespoon(s) Guava Jam

1 medium egg (optional)

8 ounce(s) dark sugar

1 pound(s) counter flour

1 teaspoon(s) nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon powder

1 tablespoon(s) baking powder

1 tablespoon(s) mixed spice

1/4 pound(s) mixed peel, chopped

1/4 pound(s) raisins, soaked

 

Homemade Easter Bun Directions

Melt Margarine and allow to cool, then add stout, wine, vanilla, Grace Browning, Guava Jam and beaten egg (if used).

Stir in the sugar and mix until all the granules are dissolved.

Mix together all the dry ingredients then add the chopped mixed peel and raisins.

Combine liquid mixture with dry ingredients and mix well.

Scrape the batter into a greased loaf pan 12"x4"x3".

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool on a cooling rack.

To Glaze: Combine 2 tablespoons honey with two tablespoons water and bring to a boil; remove from flame and use a pastry brush to apply it over the surface of the bun.

To Serve:  Serve with slices of cheese.

Yield:  1 loaf"

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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

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