Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

Here's another quick-n-easy recipe, this time for the cinnamon lovers. This cake is so delicious, moist and full of flavour, it's perfect for a Christmas gift. I love to sit in the kitchen while it bakes and breath in that amazing aroma. Did you know that smelling cinnamon helps improve your brain function and memory? I didn't. And do you know what "true cinnamon" is? You can read my notes on Carrot Cake to find out more about it and its many health benefits.

Note: The recipe I found on Love like a vegan uses soy milk and yogurt. If you don't eat soy, you can use any milk you like, oat, almond, hemp, coconut etc. I haven't found other vegan yogurt than soy, but you can either make your own, like here, or simply add more buttermilk (Step 1). Use a good vegan butter to grease the pan (rather than oil), it will keep the sides from darkening too much.

When you remove this cake from the oven, expect a soft, moist, spongy texture and a sweet, crunchy crust. If you leave it in the fridge (wrapped in cling film) for a day or two, you'll get an even moister cake with a melt-in-the-mouth crust.

Ingredients:

Step 1

• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 Tb apple cider vinegar

Step 2

• 2 cups organic plain white flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Step 3

• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/2 cup organic unrefined caster sugar
• 1/4 cup soy yogurt

Step 4

• 1/3 cup dark muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
• 1 Tb cinnamon powder

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180° C). Grease a 23x13 cm (9"x5") loaf pan with butter.
• Step 1: Pour the milk into a small bowl, add the vinegar and let sit to curdle while preparing the other ingredients (this is the easy way to make buttermilk).
• Step 2: Sift all the ingredients into a large bowl and whisk till homogeneous.
• Step 3: Mix oil, sugar and yogurt in a bowl.
• Using a whisk, mix the wet ingredients into the dry until well combined. Don't overbeat.
• Step 4: Mix sugar and cinnamon.
• Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it around evenly. Sprinkle it with 1/3 of the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Repeat this procedure with the remaining ingredients, finishing with the sugar/cinnamon mix.
• Using a toothpick, create swirls between the top layer of batter and the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Don't move the toothpick fast, so the layers remain clear. Alternatively you can use a knife to make swirls between all the layers.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Keep an eye on the cake so the top doesn't burn.

• Remove from the oven onto a wire rack, let the cake sit in the pan until warm enough to handle, then remove onto a serving plate and let cool completely. Slice and serve simple, with yogurt, ice cream or tea.

Enjoy!

A lot of time, effort and passion goes into each recipe I post. My greatest satisfaction comes from your feedback. If you made this recipe, then please take a minute of your time to leave me a comment. And if you like it, please share it so that others have access to it as well. Thank you all in advance!