Lighten your holiday table with cinnamon's subtle charm
Gingerbread is a cake with a strong, spicy aroma, full of spices. It has avid fans but also some detractors. For the latter, we have a recipe for a much lighter bake with a pleasant hint of cinnamon, making it perfect for the pre-holiday and holiday season.
What do the holidays smell like? Among the characteristic scents of this time are definitely those of the Christmas tree and culinary aromas. We often mention spices like cinnamon, cloves, or cardamom. They immediately bring gingerbread, one of the most festive cakes to mind.
Too much of a good thing..
An abundance of spices in gingerbread might not suit everyone. However, you don't necessarily have to give up the spicy aroma. You just need to focus on one spice, specifically cinnamon. It's not particularly mild either, but its character is certainly lighter without other supporting spices.
Not just vitamins
Cinnamon is regarded as one of the oldest spices used in cooking and folk medicine. It contains valuable vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, K, and B complex, as well as potassium, magnesium, and iron, which support many body functions. The antimicrobial properties of cinnamon help prevent infections, and its bioactive ingredients bolster the immune system. Cinnamon cake is very easy to make. There's no need to wait for the holidays, as it’s great for the pre-holiday period as well.
Cinnamon cake
Ingredients:
- 142 grams ground nuts, can be walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, or a mix,
- 50 grams all-purpose flour,
- 50 grams sugar,
- 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon,
- a pinch of salt,
- 1 teaspoon baking powder,
- 1/3 teaspoon baking soda,
- cranberries, dried apricots, or raisins to taste.
Instructions:
- Separate the yolks from the whites, place the whites in a bowl, and add sugar.
- Beat them at medium speed until the mixture doubles in volume.
- Then, reduce the mixer speed and add yolks one by one.
- Next, add sifted dry ingredients and ground nuts, then mix. Finally, add your favourite additives and mix again.
- Pour the cinnamon cake batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
- Place it in an oven preheated to 170 degrees Celsius. Bake for about 45 minutes.
- After cooling, you can decorate it with chocolate or powdered sugar.
