Belgian Bun Recipe
Since my eldest was able to talk he’s always had a favourite cake which we indulge in when in town at the bakers – a Belgium Bun or as he likes to call them Cherry on the Top Cakes (not to be confused with Cherry Bakewells which are also Cherry on the Top Cakes!). For months, I’ve searched the internet and my many recipes books (I may have mentioned my cookbook obsession before!) and I’ve found a couple of recipes but when we tried them they really didn’t have the same taste as the store brought Belgium Buns so I got creative in the kitchen and have come up with THE BEST Belgian Bun Recipe according to my family as they taste better than the bakers and the store so here goes.
Ingredients
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90ml of milk
1 teaspoon of Active Dry Yeast
Pinch of Sugar (if kneading by hand, leave out if using a bread maker)
225g Strong White Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
25g unsalted butter
50g Caster Sugar
1 medium egg
2 tablespoons of Lemon Curd
2 LARGE handfuls of raisins
3 tablespoons of icing sugar
Water
1 Glace Cherry per bun
Hand Made Recipe
For a bread maker recipe see below
Warm the milk to hand hot in the microwave (it took around 20 seconds) add a pinch of sugar and the fast acting yeast (I know you shouldn’t have to but it’s getting near winter here in the UK and to ensure that the dough rises it needs the yeast to be warmed) – leave this for around 20 minutes you will see the yeast working.
In a bowl mix the flour and salt. Cube up the butter and then rub in using your fingers to make a breadcrumb consistency.
Stir the sugar into the dry ingredients.
In the centre of the bowl make a depression and add the egg and the yeast/milk mix
Gradually mix in the flour from around the edge to make a soft dough – if it’s too dry then add some more milk to the mix but make sure it is at least room temperature.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
Put it in a clean bowl and cover with a dish towel for around 2 hours – make sure it’s in a warm location otherwise the dough will take much longer to double in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size knead again for approximately 2 minutes and then roll out.
Spread with the lemon curd and then sprinkle on the handfuls of raisins.
Roll up the dough to along the thick end similar to how you would roll a swiss roll and then cut into 9 or 12 small pieces.
Place on a greased baking tray and leave for the second rise for around 30 minutes again make sure it’s in a warm place.
Pre-heat the oven at 200C and bake the buns for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown.
Make up a frosting with the icing sugar and water to a thick paste.
Remove the buns once cooked and place on a wire rack to cool down. Once they have cooled add the icing and place a cherry on the top.
These are best eaten within 2 days as they will go stale if left – although we have no fear of them being left here as I am now no longer allowed to buy Belgium Buns instead I’ve got a weekly request to make these for the weekend.

Belgian Buns Recipe
Ingredients
- 90 ml Whole Fat Milk
- 1 teaspoon of Dry Active Years
- leave Pinch of Sugar (if kneading by hand out if using a bread maker)
- 225 g Strong White Flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 1 medium egg
Filling
- 2 tablespoons of Lemon Curd
- 2 LARGE handfuls of raisins
Icing
- 3 tablespoons of icing sugar
- Water
- 1 Glace Cherry per bun
Instructions
- Warm the milk to hand hot in the microwave (it took around 20 seconds)
- Add a pinch of sugar and the fast acting yeast
- Leave this for around 20 minutes you will see the yeast working.
- In a bowl mix the flour and salt.
- Cube up the butter and then rub in using your fingers to make a breadcrumb consistency.
- Stir the sugar into the dry ingredients.
- In the centre of the bowl make a depression and add the egg and the yeast/milk mix
- Gradually mix in the flour from around the edge to make a soft dough - if it's too dry then add some more milk to the mix but make sure it is at least room temperature.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface
- Knead for around 5 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.
- Put it in a clean bowl and cover with a dish towel for around 2 hours - make sure it's in a warm location otherwise the dough will take much longer to double in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size knead again for approximately 2 minutes and then roll out.
- Spread with the lemon curd and then sprinkle on the handfuls of raisins.
- Roll up the dough to along the thick end similar to how you would roll a swiss roll
- Cut into 9 or 12 small pieces.
- Place on a greased baking tray and leave for the second rise for around 30 minutes again make sure it's in a warm place.
- Pre-heat the oven at 200C and bake the buns for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown.
- Make up a frosting with the icing sugar and water to a thick paste.
- Remove the buns once cooked and place on a wire rack to cool down.
- Once they have cooled add the icing and place a cherry on the top.
Notes
Bread Maker Version
Add the ingredients to the bread maker in the order recommended in your instruction guide or as follows – Flour, salt, sugar, melted butter, egg, warmed milk and yeast.
Put the mix on the dough cycle and leave to work.
Once the dough cycle has finished turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes and then roll out the dough.
Continue with the above instructions from “Spread with the lemon…..”
More Bread Machine Recipes for those with a sweet tooth over on 3 Boys and a Dog.
When making with a bread maker do you mix the yeast in with milk for 20 min or just add separately?
Depending on whether you use easy yeast of dried active – dried active I mix before, easy bake yeast I add separately. I hope that make sense.
Other like recipes call for a lot more sugar added to the yeast (like 3-4 tbs and your recipe uses just 1 pinch is that correct?
The pinch of sugar is only added if making by hand there is still 50g of sugar (approximately 4tbs) used in the recipe.
I would like to make this recipe in Australia. Are the spoon measurements the same?
I believe so
Hi Cerys,
I have seen a lot of Belgium Bun recipes that use sultanas. Is there a reason you have used raisins? Is it that they are more like the shop the bought ones.
I look forward to making your recipe when you have answered my question. I cannot buy Belgium Buns in Australia and REALLY want to try your recipe.
Hi, it was a personal preference and the type that our son adores. I have just seen your email and will get back to you now.
Great recipe and really easy to make, though my yeast was a little dodgy and took quite a while for the dough to rise