Cinnamon Loaf – Festive Flavours by Nana Ling

A festive Cinnamon Loaf recipe recorded by Nana Ling on 22 December 1939

Packed with festive flavours, Nana Ling’s Cinnamon Loaf is perfect for Christmas or any time of the year that calls for something a little special.

It’s a sweet, spicy and tender cake that’s a little similar to Carrot Cake – without the carrots.

Cinnamon Loaf is perfect as a lighter alternative to your traditional Christmas Fruit Cake.

A Festive Cinnamon Loaf Recipe

This cake recipe was recorded by Nana Ling on 22 December 1939.

I wonder how her Christmas Plans were taking shape back then? Her daughter – my “Nan Mac” – would have been 17 years old at the time.

I’d love to see a glimpse of their Christmas back then, but the closest I can get to a peek into the past is this recipe.

How to make Cinnamon Cake

This celebratory cake is best made the day or day before you plan to celebrate.

It’s a fairly straightforward cake recipe, starting with creaming the butter and sugar and then adding the milk and sifted flours alternately.

You then stir through the fruit and nuts.

Bake it in a greased and lined loaf tin at 180 degrees celsius / 355 degrees fahrenheit for about 50 minutes.

TIP: Your cake is ready when it’s a golden colour and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before turning cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter until the mixture is soft and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and milk and beat again until well combined.

Spread your icing on cake and sprinkle crushed walnuts and cachous over icing.

Cake

• 125 grams butter
• 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk (250ml)
• 2 cups SR flour (300 grams) (or 2 cups plain/all purpose flour + 4 teaspoons baking powder)
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 cup mixed dried fruit
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Icing

• 125 grams cream cheese
• 50 grams butter
• 1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar) 130 grams
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts
• 1 teaspoon silver cachous

Cake

• Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius / 355 degrees fahrenheit.

• Grease loaf tin and line with baking paper.

• Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

• Add egg and beat well to combine.

• Sift together the flour, salt and spices and add to the mix, stirring to combine, alternately with the milk.

• Stir the fruit and nuts through the mixture.

• Pour mixture into loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

• Cool for 10 minutes before turning cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Icing

• Beat cream cheese and butter until soft and fluffy. Add icing sugar and milk and beat again until well combined.

• Spread icing on cake and sprinkle crushed walnuts and cachous over icing.

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 621IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg