 A black bun cut open, showing fruit cake interior | |
| Alternative names | Scotch bun, Scotch Christmas bun |
|---|---|
| Type | Fruit cake |
| Place of origin | Scotland |
| Main ingredients | Pastry, raisins, currants, almonds, citrus peel, allspice, ginger, cinnamon and pepper |
Black bun, sometimes known as Scotch bun, is a type of fruit cake completely covered with pastry. It is Scottish in origin, originally eaten on Twelfth Night but now enjoyed at Hogmanay. The cake mixture typically contains raisins, currants, almonds, citrus peel, allspice, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper. It had originally been introduced following the return of Mary, Queen of Scots from France, but its original use at Twelfth Night ended with the Scottish Reformation. It was subsequently used for first-footing over Hogmanay.