Buttermilk spice cake

There is something eternally inviting about a simple butter cake packed with spicy warmth. This is such a cake. It’s just a good honest cake that is lovely to tuck into alongside a nice mug of tea.


You can vary the spices to suit your tastes but I stuck with cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice. Spooning different spices into the cake bowl always makes me feel like a sorceress (some may say ‘witch’ was a better description!) concocting a potion – I think it’s all the little jars and a teaspoon of one, half a teaspoon of another etc. It’s practically alchemy!


I added a sugar topping to the cake; the original recipe didn’t have one. Sugar sprinkled on top and allowed to bake into the cake is delicious and gives an extra texture to the cake – an almost crumbly crust.


Many people describe cakes like this as a “cut and come again cake” and it’s the perfect description. There’s no messy filling, it’s easy to eat, doesn’t need anything with it and is packed with flavour. Plus, how easy is it to make? Look at how brief the recipe instructions are!


Ingredients:
300g plain flour
225g caster sugar
1 ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
100g unsalted butter, melted
350ml buttermilk
2 eggs

Optional topping: 3 tablespoons brown sugar (I used cinnamon infused sugar)

How to make:

- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line a 20cm springform cake tin with baking paper making sure that the paper comes up 2-3cm above the top of the tin.
- Place all the dry ingredients (i.e. the first seven items on the list) in a bowl and mix.
- To the dry ingredients add the melted butter, buttermilk and eggs and beat until smooth and combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out cleanly. Mine took 50 minutes.
- Leave to cool, in the tin, on a wire rack until cold enough to handle. Then remove the tin and leave to cool completely.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.