What small bread is filled with raisins, topped with icing and served at Easter time?

The small bread filled with raisins, marked or topped with icing, and traditionally served at Easter is a hot cross bun.

Hot cross buns are sweet, spiced yeast buns traditionally associated with Good Friday, especially in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. Their defining feature is the cross on top, which may be made from flour paste, pastry, or icing. Raisins or currants are common ingredients, often joined by spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice.

The cross is commonly understood as a Christian symbol representing the crucifixion of Jesus, while the spices are sometimes linked with the spices used at his burial. The bun also marks the end of Lent, a period traditionally associated with fasting. A similar bun called the Alban bun was reportedly distributed to the poor in St Albans, England, in the 14th century.

A common mix-up is calling any iced Easter bread a hot cross bun. The name properly refers to the spiced, fruit-filled bun with a cross, although modern versions may contain chocolate, orange, cranberries, or other fillings. In some countries, hot cross buns are now sold well beyond Easter.