Cinnamon Drizzle Loaf

 

 On Saturday afternoons, I usually like to bake us a little bit of a treat.  Sometimes it's something which is spectacularly decadent, and other times it's something simple . . .

 

But, you know . . . simple doesn't necessarily mean that it's not spectacular does it???  This beautiful loaf here today is a hidden gem.  Quick and easy to make . . . but oh soooooooo moreishly scrummy.

 

It bakes up nice and moist . . . the moistness coming from the muscovado sugar . . .which also helps to give it a beautiful colour



Then there is that lovely warm and spicy flavour that comes from a hint of cinnamon in the batter . . . oh, this does smell heavenly when it is baking.  One can hardly wait for it to come out of the oven . . .  you don't have to wait too long though, as it bakes up rather quickly for a loaf, only 30 to 35 minutes in total . . . not long at all.

 

This is when the patience comes in though . . . because you then take a nice warm, maple and cinnamon flavoured syrup and pour it gently over the whole loaf . . . allowing it to settle in and make itself at home, which only adds to the moistness and the overall appeal of this lovely loaf.

 

You will want to be patient though and allow it to cool completely before you slice into it.  This gives time for all that lovely syrup to soak deep into the loaf, adding a furhter dimension of tastiness . . . that as a whole makes it very, very scrummy indeed.

 

Can this get any better???  I think not!!!



Wait . . . sliced and spread with softened butter . . . you are in heavenly bliss.  Trust me.  Heavenly . . . buttery, cinnamony, moist loaf cake bliss.  Quite simply impossible to resist.

 

*Cinnamon Drizzle Loaf*
Makes one 9 by 4 inch loaf
serving 8 people
Printable Recipe

A delicious loaf..  Moist and lightly spiced with cinnamon with a scrummy cinnamon/maple flavour drizzle which is poured over the warm cake, soaking in and making it even scrummier!

175g butter, softened (3/4 cup)
85g of caster sugar (1/3 cup)
85g of dark muscovado sugar (7 TBS)
3 large free range eggs, beaten
1 heaped tsp of ground cinnamon
175g of sifted self raising flour (1 1/2 cups)

For the drizzle:
125ml of pure maple syrup
1 large cinnamon stick broken in half
3 TBS water

Preheat the oven to 180*C./350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 9 by 4 inch loaf tin and line with parchment paper.  Butter the paper.

Cream the butter and both sugars together until light and creamy.  (You may have to rub the muscovado sugar with your fingers first to break up any lumps)  Beat in the eggs, a little bit at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Sift together the flour and cinnamon.  Gently fold this into the creamed mixture with a large metal spoon, using a cutting motion, until all is amalgamated.  Spoon into the  prepared loaf tin, smoothing the top over.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is risen and springs back when gently touched on the top, or a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. 

While the cake is baking, about 5 minutes before the cake is done, combine all the drizzle ingredients in a small saucepan and gently heat until it all smells cinnamony.  Remove the cinnamon stick and set aside for the moment.

Pour the drizzle syrup over top of the warm cake, allowing it to soak in as you pour.  Allow to cool in the pan completely, before turning out onto a serving plate.  If desired you may decorate with the cinnamon stick pieces, but do remove before serving.  Cut into slices to serve.

 

 awww . . . don't you just want to give her a teensie weensie bite???  She is also very hard to resist!