Spiced Caramel Coffee Cake (Hot Cross Bun Style)
I was inspired to make this recipe after ordering some snacks from a South African online grocery store. One item that immediately caught my eye was their Hot Cross Bun Caramel Spread. I was so excited because I love anything caramel and I absolutely adore hot cross buns. There’s something nostalgic and comforting about the warm spices, soft raisins, and rich, buttery flavor.
The caramel itself had a spiced, rum-like taste with little bursts of raisins, just like a true hot cross bun in spreadable form. I knew I wanted to do something special with it, and one of my favorite pastries to enjoy with a cappuccino or another espresso drink is a coffee cake. So, I combined the two.
This Hot Cross Bun Caramel Coffee Cake has all the warm spices and cozy flavor of the classic Easter treat but turned into a soft, fluffy cake with a gooey caramel swirl and a crunchy streusel topping. It’s comforting, flavorful, and just the right amount of indulgent.
Whether you’re enjoying it as a breakfast treat, a mid-morning snack, or dessert, it’s a beautiful bake to pair with coffee or tea. And honestly, who doesn’t love hot cross buns in any form?
Spiced Caramel Coffee Cake (Hot Cross Bun Style)
A spiced, cozy coffee cake swirled with caramel and topped with buttery streusel — perfect with a cappuccino.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (220g) white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) neutral oil (or melted butter)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) milk (or buttermilk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (75g) raisins
- ½ cup (120g) Hot Cross Bun Caramel Spread
- ½ cup (65g) white whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup (65g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup (55g) cold butter, cubed
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 6 teaspoons milk or cream
- Splash of lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup extra Hot Cross Bun Caramel Spread (for extra drizzle on top)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8x8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar, oil (or melted butter), eggs, milk, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the raisins.
- In a small bowl, rub the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cold butter together with your fingertips until the mixture becomes crumbly. Set aside.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Dollop half the caramel spread over the batter and swirl gently with a knife.
- Pour the remaining batter on top and repeat with the rest of the caramel. Swirl again lightly.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the icing drizzle ingredients until smooth. Once the cake has cooled slightly, drizzle with the icing and an extra spoonful or two of the Hot Cross Bun Caramel for a glossy finish.
Notes
Tips
- If you can't find Hot Cross Bun Caramel, you can use a spiced caramel or mix plain caramel with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of rum extract.
- Swap raisins for dried cranberries or chopped dates if preferred.
- This cake keeps well in an airtight container for up to 3 days and can be frozen without the drizzle (if frozen with drizzle texture will change).
- If you don't want the darker color, use white sugar or all-purpose flour.
I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Tried this recipe? I’d really love to know how it turned out for you. Leave a quick review or comment below — your feedback helps others (and makes my day!).
Cranberry Orange Rusks
Rusks, are a tradition in various parts of southern Africa. Credit for this version goes to the Afrikaaners of South Africa, who needed to preserve bread for long treks, hence the double baking preparation process. Also known as beskuit or cake rusks, these crunchy, semi-sweet treats make great gifts, and you can add raisins, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or whatever else you like to the mix. They are perfect for dunking at tea time or on your coffee break, whether at 10 am before lunch or 4 pm before dinner.
One essential component when making rusks is buttermilk. The acid helps soften the bread/cake dough, and the cultures add a tang that isn't overwhelming.
I added cranberries and orange peel for this recipe to give them a festive, holiday season flare. The cranberries littered throughout the rusks offer a sweet, tangy bite white the orange provides a citrusy undertone, and we already know orange and cranberry pair well!
There is no need to get rusks at the store; you can make them at home on your own.
Cranberry Orange Rusks
Ingredients
- 8 cups self-raising flour
- 1 stick + 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons orange peel
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking soda and salt well. Follow this with the cranberries and orange peel.
- Melt the butter in a small pot then add the sugar and whisk until the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat. Don't boil! You aren't trying to make caramel.
- Beat the egg, vanilla and almond into the buttermilk. Add both sets of liquid to the flour bowl and mix with a nonstick spatula until well combined.
- Transfer the mix to a greased baking dish and use the spatula to flatten in preparation for baking.
- Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. The cake rusk should have risen and a toothpick should come out clean from the center once it is done. Remove from the oven to cool.
- Once cooled, slice into 2.5cm L x 1.5cm W pieces. Depending on how thick you cut them, you’ll get about 50 rusks.
- Lay them on parchment-lined baking trays evenly spaced, and return to the oven but reduce the heat to 200F/93C. Dry them out or another 2 1/2 hours and check every 30 minutes until a cookie/biscuit texture.
- Keep in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
122Fat (grams)
2.6Carbs (grams)
22Sugar (grams)
6.6Protein (grams)
2.4I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Sweet Potato, Pecan and Maple Dutch Baby
When fall arrives there are so many ways to get baking and that includes in the morning when you rise and shine! What's a better to celebrate the season than a Dutch Baby?
Pumpkins gets all the attention, but I don't sleep on sweet potatoes. You don’t need to wait until Thanksgiving and to enjoy this legume. This version of pancake was inspired by the southern sweet potato casserole, covered in marshmallows and sometimes pecans.
Not only is sweet potato a superfood, but the subtle, warm, sweet flavour lends itself to a lot of recipes outside of eating it as it is, especially when spices like xinnmat and nutmeg are involved.
Ingredients
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/4 heaped cup sweet potato puree
Generous pinch of salt
3/4 cups heavy cream
1 melted tablespoon + 2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup pecans
Marshmallows
Maple syrup
Instructions
In a blender, add all the ingredients except the marshallows, pecans, and 2 tablespoons of butter. Beat until smooth.
In a skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium high heat. Pour in the batter evenly coating the skillet then sprinkle a few pecans and marshallows on top.
Place in a 350F oven and bake for 30 minutes. The eggs will help the pancake to puff up as it cooks, but this effect will deflate once it starts to cool — more of a visual aspect that won't compromise the taste! Drizzle and sprinkle with maple syrup, pecans and marshallows and serve hot.
Give it a try! German pancakes have crunchy exteriors and swift interiors and you can top them with whatever you like given the surface area. Explore other recipes here.
Rustic Peach and Guava Turnovers
Peach season (or any fruit you want) is always an excuse to inject flavour and bring out the inherent subtle tastes. In this case, the whiskey will deepen the natural flavour of the peaches, as will the cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon. The guava jam adds to the sweetness (because, well, peaches are not THAT sweet, but that's okay!). They also give the turnovers a tropical flavour profile, and guavas have a unique taste and floral undertones as peaches do.
Like most recipes on this blog, you can tweak this one to your liking, but the result will be something quick and tasty.
Rustic Peach and Guava Turnovers
Ingredients
- 4 fresh peaches
- 2 tablespoons guava jam
- 1/4 cup bourbon or whiskey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 2 pastry dough sheets
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- Fresh cream
- 2 tablespoons +
- 2 tablespoons butter + 1 tablespoon heavy cream OR 1 beaten egg (for wash)
- Whipped cream (optional)
- Turbinado sugar (optional)
- Icing sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Wash, pit, and dice the peaches, place in a large bowl. Transfer to a large pot, add 2 tablespoons butter, cinnamon sugar, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, jam, and whiskey. Cook down until all the ingredients are melted and combined and the sauce thickens., simmer for about 10-12 minutes on medium low heat, stirring frequently.
- Prep your pastry sheets (one at a time, keep them in the fridge until ready to use). Cut into the shapes you wish to form the turnovers. You can cut rectangles then fold the opposing corners to create a loose triangular shape.
- Fill with 1 teaspoon of filling (or more if you roll out the dough or cut into larger pieces). Seal the edges with a fork, then pierce the centre lightly to create an outlet for the hot air while the pastries bake.
- Brush the pastries with a mix of 2 tablespoons butter and the heavy cream or beaten egg. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over each of the pastries.
- Bake at 375F for 12 minutes (follow the instructions on the packaging) - cook each sheet with filling one at a time.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes until light golden brown colour forms, cool for 5 minutes, then serve warm (optional: with whipped cream).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
99Fat (grams)
2.2Carbs (grams)
15.9Protein (grams)
1.2
Mini Easter Egg Scones
This recipe is part of a six course brunch.
Scones are a must for the brunch table, I think. You can enjoy these semi-sweet baked goods with milk, tea, or coffee. The great thing is after brunch; you can continue to enjoy them--and even freeze--as a quick morning snack in the following weeks.
To add some texture and make them festive, I use some Cadbury Mini Easter eggs, probably the only candy I enjoy this time of the year. If you have children, they too will likely enjoy the bits of chocolate encased with the coloured hard shell in between the warm, crumbly scone, smothered in jam or cream.
If you need a visual step-by-step, check out my video on how to make Pecan and Biscoff Scones.
Here's what you need.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose or pastry flour + a little extra for dusting (you can use oat flour, but that can change the texture of the scones a little bit)
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (I used plant-based)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 cup Cadbury mini eggs, crushed
1/2 cup coconut or almond milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or buttermilk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
Instructions
Add the lemon juice to the coconut or almond milk and set it aside to curdle--no need if you're already using buttermilk, that means your milk is already curdled.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and crushed mini eggs until evenly mixed. Add the cold butter (the colder, the better!), and use a pastry knife or two sharp knives to chop the butter into the flour mix. Use your fingers until it resembles bread crumbs, but don't overmix.
Add egg, mix evenly into the dry batter, then add the milk and mix into a soft dough.
Transfer to a floured surface and knead for about 2-3 minutes, shaping into a round dome (if you find the dough too soft and sticky, use the kneading process to add a bit more but not too much to avoid overly dry scones).
Use a kitchen scraper to slice the dough into eight pieces. Try to make them roughly the same size. Press some extra bits of the crushed mini eggs for the top of the scones.
Bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes, remove from the oven and cool. You can serve them, but they are meant to go with jam and clotted cream.
Very Berry Dutch Baby
It's not that Dutch baby pancakes can't be eaten all year round, but springtime calls for a version that involves fresh berries and lemon!
This recipe celebrates blueberries and strawberries, not different from the strawberry version you can find on the website. If you prefer apples as your fruit of choice, try this one, with salted caramel instead.
As I've stated before, this one of my favourite ways to enjoy pancakes. Like galettes, the free form cakes offer a lot of flexibility to customize and effortlessly appear sophisticated. It's hard not to impress upon serving!
This one is gluten-free; I used oat flour and coconut milk--which adds a delicious flavour tweak to the mix. I also add a bit of coconut sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest when reducing the fruits to err on the healthy side and enhance the berries natural sweetness and tartness.
Ingredients
3/4 cup oat flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoons melted + 2 tablespoons plant-based butter
3/4 cup warm coconut milk + 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Icing sugar (optional)
Fruit reduction:
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Mint leaves
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1/2 cup mixed berries + extra to garnish
1/4 cup water
Instructions
Add the pancake batter ingredients (using the melted butter) to a blender, beat until smooth.
Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to a cast-iron pan over and melt before pouring in the batter.
Bake at 400F oven for 30 minutes.
Prepare the berry reduction. In a saucepan, add the ingredients and heat on low until the mixture begins to thicken and the berries break down, occasionally stirring to prevent the contents from burning. Remove from heat.
Take the Dutch baby out of the oven, allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
Spoon the reduction on top, garnish with fresh fruit, then dust with icing sugar.
Serve with syrup, ice cream, maple syrup, or almond whipped cream.
