Cinnamon Swirl Cake

Another long bank holiday weekend here. we made the most of a couple days beautiful sunshine. Playdates, BBQ’s, gardening, park trips, art clubs, movie night, discos and a long afternoon with friends in their garden. It was a busy and fun weekend. Sunny skies always make me feel so alive, fills me with energy and makes me want to go out and play! The sun certainly helped our garden, the grass is growing as are all the veggies. I love this time of year so much. Yesterday we woke to rain and me to a head cold.. i spent the day with a head that felt full of cotton, everything muffled and my balance slightly off. Fingers crossed it’s cleared today! Papa actually has a whole day off – something that is so rare it’s quite exciting right now! These long work weeks off his are hard on the whole family – we know in the long run it will all be worthwhile.

And what else are weekends for if not for baking cakes?? Inspired by the cinnamon buns I had the other week, I made a ‘Cinnamon Swirl Cake’, light, moist and with a delicious cream cheese frosting it didn’t last too long!

You’ll Need:
for the cake
3 eggs
6oz flour
6oz butter
6oz sugar
2 tbsp milk [I use soy]

for the cinnamon swirl
3oz butter
3oz brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

for the glaze
1 tub cream cheese
4oz icing sugar
splash water

To make the cake – beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time and then fold in the flour and milk.

To make the cinnamon swirl – melt the butter, beat in the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.

In a 9″ greased cake pan, spoon a third of the cake mix over the bottom, then add a few spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl mixture, using a spoon, lightly mix the two together – you don’t want to blend them entirely, just enough to create a ‘swirl’ patter. Add another third of the cake mix on top, and then a couple more spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl mix. Repeat with the last of the mix.

Bake at 350F/180C for about 40-45 minutes. Leave to cool. Beat the cream cheese with the icing sugar and a tablespoon or two of water to make a slightly runny glaze. Pour over the cake, leave to cool and then enjoy!

baya had a great time pouring the frosting over the cake!!!