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.
Georgia Lagou says
Hi Claire the recipe sounds amazing. Would you please be able to tell me how much butter in g. Thank you
Claire says
Hi Georgia. About 60g.
Sandra says
Hi Claire, I checked your recipe because I've also used a Cinnamon Teacake recipe since my children were very young.It was my 'go to' when I needed a recipe that was quick and made from pantry ingredients, especially when unexpected visitors are due!!
Mine differs in that it is done in a shallow small-ish round tin (I was imagining wedges in your school lunch box!! :-) )
A variation is to mix the caster sugar with double the amount of cinnamon(cos I love it!)and also desiccated coconut,to sprinkle on top.
Claire says
Oh that would be so delicious Sandra!
Kylee says
Made this tea cake tonight, two types- the plain one, and then the second, I added some stewed apple, then icing, and it tasted like warm apple pie. Yum!
Claire says
Oh the extra apple would be delicious Kylee!
Lynda says
what is 175c fan-forced? I have no idea of how to convert this information to bake in a conventional electric oven . . . please help! i do so want to bake this cake - it looks positively lovely and delicious!!
Claire says
Hi Lynda. 175C fan-forced is 195C convection. Good luck!
lynda allen says
thank you, Claire! ....however, i am in Georgia, in the United States and i do not have a clue about Celsius temperature. I will be baking in a conventional electric oven just like my mother had that is marked in Fahrenheit. in my whole life, i have never used Celsius. Once again, thank you!
Claire says
Ahh no problem. In that case it is 380F. Happy baking!
Jul says
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 definately be making it over & over again.
Thanks Clair so much for sharing.
Claire says
You're very welcome Jul. So glad you enjoyed it. It's one of my favourites.
Sara Reid says
Made this cake while dinner was cooking, it was so easy and quick! The whole cake was eaten for dessert, definitely making another one soon. Thanks for a great recipe :)
Claire says
I find myself doing a lot of my baking while dinner's cooking. Great idea Sara! It's such a yummy cake isn't it?
Sara Reid says
Oh it is! I've made another three since then, and they all went very quickly :)
Claire says
Yum!
Didee says
Just made your tea cake....delicious! Thank you.
Have you tried Annabelle Langbein's (not sure of the spelling) strawberry cloud cake? So easy and perfect for hot weather. It is a biscuit base and a strawberry sorbet top that is frozen. Heavenly.
Thanks again,
Didee
Claire says
Oh Didee I haven't but it sounds amazing. I'll have to look it up!
Ahlam says
I just made it! and it turned out great! first good cake I make in my life! THANK YOU
Claire says
Yay Ahlam! It was my first perfect cake too!
Claire Shanley says
Can't wait to try this!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says
Tea cake Sundays sound like a tradition I would love. Especially love the idea of having sliced, ready to eat cake in the freezer.
Claire says
It's lovely knowing a slice of cake is just a 30 second microwave zap away isn't it?!
celia says
That is just the sweetest looking cake, Claire! Great job! :)
Claire says
Thanks Celia!
Jen @ Savory Simple says
What a lovely cake. Cooking with family is always a special occasion.
Claire says
It's one of my favourite things to do with the family!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Aww I love that this was the first cake that you made and that your mum and grandma showed you! :D
Claire says
I'm lucky to have learned from two wonderful cooks!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
It must be the American in me because I've never eaten a cinnamon tea cake. I will make sure I can never say that again because I'm going to make this on Sunday. :)
Claire says
Yay Maureen! Let me know how you like it!
Hotly Spiced says
I used to make a cinnamon tea cake and it was one of the first things I learned to make and it had a cinnamon sugary topping on it that was rubbed with butter, a bit like a crumble. It was so delicious and we'd have it for afternoon tea with some softly whipped cream. Delicious. Your post has brought back some memories! Great looking cake, Claire xx
Claire says
It seems to be one of the first cakes a lot of people made! x