A touch of cinnamon: Lightening up holiday bakes
Gingerbread is a cake with a strong, spicy aroma, bursting with spices. It has its ardent fans, but some aren't as keen. For the latter, we have a much lighter bake recipe with a pleasant hint of cinnamon, making it perfect for both the pre-holiday and holiday mood.
What do holidays smell like? Among the characteristic scents of this period are definitely those of the Christmas tree and culinary aromas. We often mention spicy spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. These instantly bring to mind gingerbread, which is one of the most festive cakes.
Too much of a good thing..
A large amount of spices in gingerbread may not appeal to everyone. However, you don't have to abandon the spicy aroma altogether. You just need to focus on one spice, specifically cinnamon. It may not be considered particularly mild, but once unfettered by other supporting spices, its character is definitely lighter.
Not just vitamins
Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices used in cooking and folk medicine. It contains valuable nutrients such as vitamins A, C, K, and B group, as well as potassium, magnesium, and iron, which support various bodily functions. The antimicrobial properties of cinnamon help prevent infections, and its bioactive ingredients support the immune system. Cinnamon cake is very easy to make. There's no need to wait for the holidays, as it’s perfect for the pre-holiday period as well.
Cinnamon Cake
Ingredients:
- 140g ground nuts, can be walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, or a mix,
- 50g plain flour,
- 50g sugar,
- 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon,
- a pinch of salt,
- 1 teaspoon baking powder,
- 1/3 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda,
- cranberries, dried apricots, or raisins to taste.
Instructions:
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites, placing the whites in a bowl and adding sugar.
- Beat them at a medium speed until the mixture doubles in volume.
- Then reduce the mixer speed and add the yolks one by one.
- Next, fold in the sifted dry ingredients and ground nuts, then mix. Finally, add your favourite additions and mix again.
- Pour the cinnamon cake batter into a loaf tin lined with baking paper.
- Put it in an oven preheated to 170 degrees Celsius. Bake for about 45 minutes.
- Once cooled, you can decorate it with chocolate or icing sugar.
