Cinnamon spice cake

There's a craze on the other side of the pond called the Cinnamon Challenge where young people try to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon whilst their friends film it.  Why would you want to ingest a spoonful of dried tree bark however fragrant?  Needless to say several have ended up in hospital with respiratory problems and a lot of them find that the spice does actually burn the back of your throat when eaten in this way.  A much nicer way to get your cinnamon hit is in this cake.  Cinnamon is usually used in fruit cakes but this is a very light sponge that suits dried fruit haters like me much better.  The original recipe called for a filling of cream cheese beaten with icing sugar and orange zest but I used orange buttercream instead, this doesn't then need to be refrigerated.

CINNAMON SPICE CAKE

 

 

• 6oz butter, softened
• 6oz golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 6oz self raising flour, sifted
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tsp mixed spice
• milk
• 1 egg white
• 2oz soft light brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2oz ground almonds

 

Preheat your oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5

Line the bottom of two sandwich tins with baking paper and lightly oil the sides

Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy

Mix the eggs in a separate bowl then beat into the mixture a little at a time.  Add a tbsp. of flour if your mixture curdles.  It shouldn't if you cream it properly to start with but its not a problem

Fold in the flour and spices adding enough milk to achieve a soft dropping consistency

Divide the mixture between the two tins and smooth the top with a spatula

Whisk the egg white till still then add the brown sugar, almonds and cinnamon

Spread this mixture over one of the cake tins without pushing it into the mixture

This will be the top layer

Mine took exactly 20 minutes to cook but you're looking for them to be risen and golden and feel springy to your fingertips

Allow to cool in the tins for a few minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool

Fill as you will and enjoy.  Sprinkle a little icing sugar over the top if you wish