This is one of the simplest and most delicious easy Cinnamon Tea Cake recipes you’ll ever make. It is the perfect cake for afternoon tea & making with kids.
More cinnamon recipes: Cinnamon Pound Cake With Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting, Honey Cinnamon Frosted Banana Cupcakes, Gluten-Free Macadamia and Cinnamon Cookies.
Wow
Have to say one of the best cakes I’ve ever had.
So moist so delicious. I sprinkled cinnamon sugar over the top as I mixed cinnamon in the cake mix & will definitely be making it over & over again.
Thanks Claire so much for sharing.– JUL
Why Make This Cinnamon Tea Cake Recipe
- Simple & Quick - With easy-to-follow instructions and minimal ingredients, this cake is perfect for beginner bakers or last-minute cake needs (no waiting for it to cool to ice).
- Flavour - I don't know what it is but to me cinnamon is just so comforting - especially when it's warm. It's a 'cozy' recipe ideal for afternoon tea or coffee catch-up.
- Kid-Approved - It's mild enough for the kids to love it but fancy enough for grown ups. I'd almost call it a cinnamon donut in cake form.
- Inexpensive - Depending on where you do your shopping, you could make this cake for less than $5 (AUD).
I just made this tonight, and it was my first bake from scratch – it was amazing! The recipe was very easy to follow. I took advice from another review and added some extra cinnamon (I love it so much) and couldn’t be happier with the results. Thank you for this. It’s going to be a new tradition in my family as well :)– Kate
Jump to:
My Grandma Guppy, who died at the grand age of 100, taught me to make this cake in her kitchen when I was about 4 or 5 & every time I make it I'm reminded of her. There's nothing like keeping memories alive through recipes.
All my kids (my youngest is 5) can now make this cake themselves & it's a great first cake recipe to teach kids.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter - The real stuff wrapped in foil not from a tub. Softened but not melted butter
- Caster sugar - also called superfine sugar. I've also made this with rapadura sugar. Use a tiny bit more butter if using rapadura as it's a little drier.
- Vanilla extract - we like to use homemade vanilla bean extract.
- Milk - preferably full fat milk
- Self raising flour - here's how to make your own self-raising flour using plain flour (or all purpose flour) and baking powder
- Caster sugar mixed with cinnamon - for sprinkling. Here's how to make cinnamon sugar in the perfect ratio.
How To Make Best Cinnamon Tea Cake
Step 1 - Combine the butter and sugar together until creamy. You can use a hand-held mixer or stand mixer for this step. I like to do it by hand the way my Grandma taught me.
Step 2 - Add the egg and vanilla and beat them through until combined.
Step 3 - Sift in half the flour and stir it through. Step 4 - Pour in half the milk and gently stir it in.
Step 5 - Sift in the rest of the flour and stir it through.
Step 6 - Shows how my Grandma taught me to stir from the inside to the outside of the bowl.
Step 7 - Stir through the rest of the milk.
Step 8 - The batter nice and smooth ready for baking.
Step 9 - Spread the cake into a lined loaf tin. My Grandma used to tell me to 'make a well in the middle' so it doesn't dome too much at the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden at 175C fan-forced.
Step 10 - The cake is done when a cake tester (or skewer) inserted in the middle comes out clean like the image.
Step 11 - Remove the cake from the tin onto a wire rack and spread with butter.
Step 12 - Combine the sugar and cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar and sprinkle over the cake. Serve warm.
Pro Tip
Make sure you spread the butter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar when the cake is warm out of the oven.
Serving & Storage
The best time to eat cinnamon tea cake is warm fresh from the oven and spread with more butter. This delicious cake is just like a warm cinnamon donut.
Store leftover cooled cake in an airtight container.
The best thing about this cinnamon tea cake recipe is that it freezes well too.
I like to slice it up and wrap individually.
Recipe FAQs
In terms of the cake turning out – yes you can use butter in place of margarine. BUT, I am highly against margarine.
It really isn’t great stuff usually loaded with trans fat which can contribute to heart disease. It’s factory-made stuff and I’m all for natural as much as possible.
Tea cakes are more dense than sponge cakes.
They have more butter and less raising agent (aka baking powder) than sponge cake.
If you're after a healthier cinnamon delight then you'll love my Paleo gluten free cinnamon pancakes.
Recipe
Cinnamon tea cake
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter softened
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup self raising flour
- 3 tablespoon caster sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon for sprinkling
- butter for spreading
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 175C fan-forced and grease and line a loaf tin so that the paper extends over the sides.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until soft and creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until mixed through.
- Add ⅓ of the flour then ⅓ of the milk and continue adding and mixing like this until the batter is smooth.
- Spread the batter into the tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Quickly turn the cake onto a plate or wire rack right-side-up and spread it with butter.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top.
- Eat while still warm.
Cheree Daglas says
I was flooded back with memories of my younger years when I learnt this as my 1st Cake recipe at school. When I went home with my Creation it took my Grandfather back 2 his childhood needless to say our family also had a Regular weekly Teacake & I so Enjoyed Baking it for my Family. I've gotten lazy over the years I think a new tradition I may start with my Grandchildren. Thank You.
Claire says
Oh that makes me so happy to hear Cheree. It's a cake filled with wonderful memories for me.
Kate says
I just made this tonight, and it was my first bake from scratch - it was amazing! The recipe was very easy to follow. I took advice from another review and added some extra cinnamon (I love it so much) and couldn't be happier with the results. Thank you for this. It's going to be a new tradition in my family as well :)
Claire says
Your welcome, I am glad you liked it and it is a nice feeling to start family traditions.