The traditional hot cross bun is thought to have been invented by a 14th century monk from St Albans, and has been part of the national celebration of Easter Sunday since at least the reign of Elizabeth I.

But families looking for a seasonal snack this year could see a new twist to the classic recipe on supermarket shelves.

A global shortage of raisins, sultanas and currants means the price of hot cross buns is likely to soar this Easter.

Bakers are even expected to swap the dried fruits for alternatives, including chocolate chips and orange peel, to keep costs down.

The wholesale price of dried fruit has been pushed up by wildfires at vineyards in California across October and November last year.

Prices of fruit on the UK market are up 40 per cent since September, after a loss of 275,000 tons of Californian crop and a rise in the price of sultanas from Turkey, a key UK supplier.

The prices of Greek currants have also rocketed, after a one-third reduction in this year’s yield.