Cinnamon Spice cake

I do look for recipes that use cinnamon, as it is has so many health-giving benefits:

Cinnamon Spice

• contains calcium, iron, vitamins, fibre
• assists with  a variety of digestive ailments such as gas and bloating
• has a mild anti-inflammatory effect.

Studies have shown improved insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control by taking as little as half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day. Improving insulin resistance can help in weight control as well as decreasing the risk for heart disease.

[Source: cinnamonnutrition.com/ ]

Initially I adapted a Danish Spice cake recipe posted by Ted at Recipereminiscing, but halved the recipe as it makes quite a large cake, used butter instead of margarine, and replaced the cloves with mixed spice. Then I added a few currants, because I had a slight oversupply of currants in the pantry and I thought it might work will with the spices.

The cake turned out well but I preferred another version of the Danish spice cake, one that is evocative of Christmas and all those aromatic spices. I have posted both Ted’s and my recipe below.

In Australia, we do not have easy access to the wonder that is a range of fermented milk products, so I substituted sour cream and plain probiotic yoghurt, in place of cultured milk.

Ted’s Danish Spice Cake

2,1 pint / 1 l flour
1,6 pint / 7.5 dl sugar
3 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon cloves, ground
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 egg
1,6 pint / 7.5 dl cultured milk (see note below)
5,3 oz. / 150 g margarine

[1] Set the oven at 390 F / 200 C.

[2] Melt the margarine.

[3] Mix all the dry ingredients.

[4] Mix the eggs with milk and margarine, and stirred into the dry.

[5] Bake in pan for approximately 30 min.

Note:
Cultured milk or soured milk is a food product produced from the acidification of milk. It is not the same as spoiled milk that has gone bad, commonly but incorrectly called soured and which may contain toxins.

Acidification, which gives the milk a tart taste, is achieved either through the addition of an acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, or through bacterial fermentation. The acid causes milk to coagulate and form a thicker consistency, and inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and thus improves its shelf life. Soured milk that is produced by bacterial fermentation is more specifically called fermented milk or cultured milk.

Wikipedia

Amanda’s Danish Spice Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 dl Dark Brown sugar
• 0.5 dl White sugar
• 4.5 dl Flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp Ground Cardamom
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Ginger
• 2 tsp Clove
• 1 tsp Mixed Spice
• 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 2 tbspn Cocoa Powder
• Pinch salt
• 200ml Buttermilk or Yoghurt
• 2 Eggs
• 100ml melted Copha/Coconut oil/Vegetable oil

 Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
2. Ensure melted Copha and buttermilk is at room temperature and add to the dry ingredients.
3. Mix well, but not too much.  If the Copha solidifies, place the bowl over a hot water bath and gently fold until even.
4. Pour into greased cake tin, I used a ‘kugelhof’ or bundt mould.
5. Bake in oven 175° celsius (350°F) for about 40 minutes.
6. Cool 10 mins  before turning out.

For extra decadence (entirely optional):

Drizzle melted butter over the top and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar/dusting sugar.

Tips for measurement conversions: 

American

1 cup = 8 fl oz = 2.4 dl = 24 cl = 240 ml

British

1 cup = 10 fl oz = 2.8 dl = 280 ml

Australian

dl – 1 deciliter = 6 (scant) tablespoons

Reasons to Indulge in this Cake:

It doesn’t require heavy lashings of icing, and the less sugar we eat, the better for us, right?  (There is plenty of sugar in the cake itself, so why add more?)

While we are eating it, think of all the good things the spices are doing for our bodies!

Another tasty cake recipe using cinnamon is Apple and Cinnamon Bread.

Find more about the healthy benefits of Cinnamon.

#onecakeaweek

Have you posted a recipe for a cake? Post your link in the comments below.