Quick Dessert

Classic cinnamon tea cake

Name: Classic cinnamon afternoon tea cake recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 125g salted butter, softened; 150g caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 2 large eggs; 200g plain flour; 2 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 180ml milk; Cherry jam, to serve (optional); 20g salted butter, melted; 1 1/2 tbs white sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

May 01, 2025

Sometimes you crave the simplest things, like a slice of beautiful buttery, fluffy textured cake with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping and a steaming cup of tea. This beauty ticks all the boxes and takes no time to whip up. You’ll need a 20cm springform pan.

125g salted butter, softened
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups (200g) plain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (180ml) milk
Cherry jam, to serve (optional)

Topping

20g salted butter, melted
1 1/2 tbs white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease base and side of a 20cm round springform pan and line base and side with baking paper.
2.

Whisk butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and combined. Add eggs and whisk until combined. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Sift over half the flour mixture into the egg mixture, then stir until partially combined. Add half the milk and stir until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.
3.

Stand cake in pan on a wire rack and immediately brush top of warm cake with the melted butter. Next, combine the white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes before releasing from pan.
4.

Serve warm or at room temperature with jam, if you like.