An Easter loaf baked with fruit, spices and Caribbean sun

By Brigid Washington, The New York Times

For many Jamaicans, spice bun is a staple of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter marked by prayer, penitence and restraint, for those observing. But there’s nothing restrictive about this baked good, so named for its bold seasonings.

Colloquially referred to as “bun,” this quick bread — in the shape of either an oblong loaf or an oval bun — is spice-forward and forgiving, its big tastes easily extracted from a few easy-to-find ingredients. Molasses and stout, essential ingredients in the Caribbean pantry, moisten and color the bun’s dark, tender crumb year-round.

“Bun is one of the island’s iconic food traditions,” said Andre Fowles, the personal chef to Bruce Springsteen and his wife, Patti Scialfa, and the author of a forthcoming Jamaican cookbook.

But during the Lenten season, when it’s officially called Easter bun, it gets a fruity face-lift, enhanced with added raisins and red cherr...