This Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf is moist, fruity and subtly spiced. It’s easy to make and perfect for Easter! Plus it’s yeast-free and no-knead!
Why you’ll love this Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf:
- it’s undetectably vegan and gluten-free
- it’s super moist
- it’s fragrant and fruity
- it’s perfectly sweet
- it’s warmly spiced
- it’s made in one bowl
- it’s yeast-free
- there’s no kneading and no proving time required
- it’s refined sugar free
- it’s perfect for Easter
- it’s great for breakfast, brunch, dessert or a snack!
How to make this Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Mix together all the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.
Tip: Use a box grater to grate the apples.
- Transfer the mixture to a one-pound loaf tin.
Tip: Line the tin with greased baking paper to make the loaf easier to remove afterwards.
How to make the cross on this Hot Cross Bun Loaf:
- Mix together the flour and the water in a small bowl until you get a smooth, fairly thick paste.
Tip: Add the water a tiny bit at a time so you don’t add too much.
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle.
- Pipe the flour paste in a vertical line down the length of the loaf and then do three horizontal lines at even intervals.
- Bake in oven for around 45 minutes.
- Once out the oven, transfer to a cooling rack.
- Mix together the apricot jam and hot water.
Tip: The water is just to thin out the jam, so don’t use too much!
- Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to evenly brush the jam mixture all over the top surface of the loaf.
- Leave to cool and dry completely before slicing.
How long does this Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf keep for?
This loaf keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days – best reheated in the toaster!
Substitutions you can make to this recipe:
- you can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil
- you can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc
- you can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc
- you can substitute the ground almonds (almond meal) with ground walnuts
- for a nut-free version: substitute the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground sunflower seeds
- you can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free
- you can substitute the cinnamon with mixed spice (or a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves)
- you can substitute the orange zest with orange extract
- you can substitute the raisins/sultanas with any other dried fruit (dried cranberries, chopped dates, chopped prunes, dried mango, dried pineapple, dried papaya etc)
- you can substitute the raisins/sultanas with chocolate chips!
More gluten-free vegan bread recipes:
- Gluten-Free Vegan Chickpea Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Irish Soda Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Almond Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Dinner Rolls
- Gluten-Free Vegan Seeded Buckwheat Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Cornbread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Coconut Flour Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Walnut Bread
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf
This Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf is moist, fruity and subtly spiced. It’s easy to make and perfect for Easter! Plus it’s yeast-free and no-knead!
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Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 267kcal
Ingredients
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar *(ensure gluten-free if necessary )
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (or sub 1 teaspoon orange extract)
- 2 medium-sized apples , cored and grated
- 75 g (½ cup) raisins or sultanas (or sub any other dried fruit)
- 200 ml (⅘ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) **
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
For the cross (optional):
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons water (add it a bit at a time so you don’t add too much!)
To decorate (optional):
- 1 teaspoon apricot jam
- Tiny splash hot water (just to thin out the jam, don’t use too much!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Place the coconut oil in a separate large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
- Once melted, add the maple syrup to the same bowl along with the vinegar, cinnamon, orange zest, grated apples, raisins, almond milk and ground almonds
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix well
- Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin)
For the cross:
- Mix together the flour and the water in a small bowl until you get a smooth, fairly thick paste (add the water a tiny bit at a time so you don’t add too much)
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle
- Pipe the flour paste in a vertical line down the length of the loaf and then do three horizontal lines at even intervals
- Bake in oven for around 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
- Once out the oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool
To decorate:
- As soon as you’ve transferred the loaf to a wire rack, mix together the apricot jam and hot water – the water is just to thin out the jam, so don’t use too much!
- Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to evenly brush the jam mixture all over the top surface of the loaf
- Leave to cool and dry completely before slicing
- Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days – best reheated in the toaster!
Notes
*The acidity of the vinegar is essential as it reacts with the alkaline bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). If you don’t have vinegar, substitute it with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
**You can alternatively use almond flour
Tip: Leave to cool and dry completely before slicing.
Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days – best reheated in the toaster!
Nutrition Facts
Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf
Amount Per Serving
Calories 267
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Sodium 57mg2%
Potassium 148mg4%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 4g16%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 20IU0%
Vitamin C 2.9mg4%
Calcium 94mg9%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Alison
Made this yesterday and will make again, however it did take longer in the oven until skewer came out clean. I would use more spice next time, it is a bit crumbly so will not be able to put it in a toaster. Used rice flour so don’t know if this is part of the reason. Very nice to have something gluten free and vegan that tastes nice. Thank you.
Rhian Williams
Thank you for your feedback! I think it was the rice flour that was the issue. If using rice flour, adding 2 tablespoons tapioca flour to help it bind together is a good idea!
Sara
Does using sunflower seeds make your baked products green? When I use it, my bread or muffins turn green. I haven’t tried it in your recipes yet. I’m planning to. I don’t do well with almonds or coconut, so I appreciate that you have not free and coconut free options.
Rhian Williams
Yes they do turn slightly green I agree…unfortunately I don’t think there’s anything you can do to prevent that!
Claire
I made this yesterday but did it as cupcakes instead of the loaf and used mixed spice and it came out amazing! I cooked it for less time but just had to keep checking it after 20-30 mins. Once cooled I sliced it and put DF butter on it and it was so delicious. When they go a bit stale I’m going to try toasting them too. I have some in the freezer for emergency treats too! Thank you for this perfect Easter recipe!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!!
Tracy
hello, I followed the recipe to the exact products and measurements, the loaf took 2 hours on 350F and it was still moist and quite dense. I see a couple of other reviews said the same thing 🙁 the flavors are most certainly there I’m just sad it didn’t bake for Easter Sunday 🙁 do you have any suggestions to reduce the wetness of this bake? Perhaps with a paper towel take some of the moisture out of the apples? Thanks so much
Rhian Williams
So sorry to hear that! What type of gluten-free flour did you use? Did you make any other substitutions? Using a paper towel to remove the moisture from the apples may help, though that shouldn’t really make too much of a difference.
Medina
Hello, i want to make this but i live in Norway where almond flour and ground almonds are nowhere to be found 🙁 could i use regular flour instead? and how much would flour would i have to use?
Rhian Williams
Oh no sorry! Unfortunately the almond flour is necessary for texture so you can’t use regular flour instead – you can replace it with ground walnuts or ground sunflower seeds though. You can make your own in a food processor. Hope that helps!