This cinnamon tea cake is proof that the best bakes are also the simplest ones. One bowl, 10 minutes of prep, and your kitchen smells like a bakery.
It's got the same crunchy cinnamon sugar crust as my Cinnamon Apple Cake and the same fuss-free one-bowl method as my Custard Cake, so if you're a fan of either of those, you're going to love this one too.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Cinnamon Tea Cake
🕒 Ready In: 45 minutes (10 minutes prep + 35 minutes baking)
👪 Serves: 16
🍚 Calories: 186kcal per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: Butter, caster sugar, self-raising flour, ground cinnamon
📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, freezer-friendly, gluten-free and dairy-free options, Thermomix method included
⭐ Why You'll Love It: One bowl, 10 minutes of prep, and a crunchy cinnamon sugar crust that tastes like a warm cinnamon donut.
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"This was so moist, a favourite by all that ate it. I didn't have full cream milk so used buttermilk instead - it definitely altered the moisture of the cake. I will be doing this one again." - Josephine
Josephine's onto something there - buttermilk is a great swap if you want an extra-moist crumb (more on that below).
If you're after more easy teatime bakes, my Armenian Nutmeg Cake, Condensed Milk Cake and Coffee Walnut Loaf are all just as simple to whip up.
Jump to:
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Properly easy - it's a one bowl recipe that takes just 10 minutes to prepare, and you don't need to be a confident baker to nail it.
- Made with basic pantry ingredients, so there's no special supermarket run required - you've probably already got everything in the cupboard.
- A great recipe to bake with the kids. My two love helping mix the batter and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar topping (and "accidentally" licking the spoon).
- Freezer-friendly - bake it ahead and freeze for up to 3 months, so you've always got something ready when people drop by unannounced.
Cinnamon Cake Ingredients
You only need 8 basic ingredients to make this cinnamon tea cake - most of them are probably already sitting in your pantry and fridge right now.
- Ground cinnamon is the whole reason we're here, so use a fresh jar if yours has been sitting in the back of the spice drawer for years - it loses its punch faster than you'd think.
- Self-raising flour - or make your own using plain flour and baking powder if that's what's in the pantry.
- Full cream milk gives the best result, but Josephine (see her comment above) swears by buttermilk for an even moister crumb. Non-dairy milk works fine too if you need this cake dairy-free.
Variations
- Loaf tin swap - pour the batter into a lined loaf tin instead of a round cake tin and add another 5-10 minutes to the bake time. My Coffee Walnut Loaf uses the same trick if you want another loaf tin bake to try.
- Add the zest of a whole lemon to the batter for a brighter, zestier cake.
- Fold through a grated apple (squeeze out the extra liquid first) for an even moister crumb - a bit like my Cinnamon Apple Cake.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free - swap in a gluten-free self-raising flour blend, and use non-dairy milk and butter. Both work a treat.
How To Make Cinnamon Tea Cake
There's a reason this old-school tea cake has stuck around for generations - it's basically a warm cinnamon donut in cake form, and it comes together faster than the kids can ask "is it ready yet?"
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the ingredient quantities and full detailed method.
- Step 1: Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin, then preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Step 2: Add the eggs and milk. Add the eggs and milk and beat until combined. Don't panic if it looks a bit curdled at this point - that's completely normal.
- Step 3: Add the dry ingredients. Sift in the self-raising flour, add the cinnamon and salt, then beat until just combined. Don't overmix here or the cake will turn out dense.
- Step 4: Bake and top. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. While the cake is still warm, brush with melted butter and sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar.
Team Thermomix? The full Thermomix method, with exact speeds and timings, is in the recipe card below.
Recipe Tips
- Best served slightly warm, with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Use room temperature butter, eggs and milk. Cold ingredients don't combine as well and can leave you with a denser cake.
- Topping sliding off? Brush the melted butter over the cake while it's still warm from the oven, then gently press the cinnamon sugar on so it sticks. Wait until it's cool and it'll just slide straight off.
- If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with a sheet of foil for the last 10 minutes or so.
- Storage - keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing - cool the cake completely, then wrap it well (or slice it first and wrap individually for grab-and-go portions) and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature. If you're building up the freezer stash, my Rock Cakes and Finger Buns freeze just as well.
Cinnamon Tea Cake FAQs
It's usually down to underbaking or opening the oven door too early, which lets the heat escape before the cake has set. Every oven runs a little differently, so always check with a skewer inserted into the centre rather than relying on the timer alone - if it comes out with wet batter clinging to it, give the cake a few more minutes.
Yes! Swap in your favourite non-dairy milk and dairy-free butter or margarine, and it works just as well.
Definitely. Bake it a day ahead and store it in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze it well in advance and defrost when you need it. Just wait until you're ready to serve before adding the cinnamon sugar topping if you can, as it holds its crunch better that way.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, cool it completely, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months, then defrost at room temperature.
Tea cakes are denser and more buttery than a sponge, with less raising agent doing the work. That's what gives this one its lovely close, moist crumb instead of the light, airy texture you'd get from a classic sponge.
More Cake Recipes
Love a simple cake that everyone in the family enjoys? Here are a few more of my favourites worth adding to the rotation.
Cinnamon Tea Cake
Ingredients
- 150 g butter softened to room temperature
- 165 g (¾ cup) caster sugar superfine sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla essence
- 2 eggs approx 60g each, room temperature
- 180 ml (¾ cup) milk full cream, room temperature
- 225 g (1 ½ cups) self-raising flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
For The Topping
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon caster sugar
- 15 g (1 tbs) melted butter
Instructions
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 20cm round cake tin. Line the base with baking paper.
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. If using a Thermomix: Cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract together for 30 seconds, Speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs and milk and beat until combined. If using a Thermomix: Add the eggs and milk and beat for a further 20 seconds, Speed 3.
- Sift in the self-raising flour, add the cinnamon and salt and beat until just combined. If using a Thermomix: Add the self-raising flour, cinnamon and salt and combine for 20 seconds, Speed 4.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
- Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is cooked when tested with a skewer.
- To make the topping, mix the cinnamon and caster sugar together. While the cake is still warm, brush the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Notes
- Best served slightly warm with a drizzle of cream.
- If you don't have self-raising flour you can use all-purpose flour. Just sift two teaspoons of baking powder to every 1 cup of plain flour before adding it to the batter.
- Insert a skewer in the middle of the cake to make sure it is cooked through. If the batter sticks to the skewer, bake for a little longer.
- Add a sheet of foil loosely over the top if the cake is over-browning.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Use gluten-free flour if you want to make this cake gluten-free.
- For a dairy-free version of this recipe, use non-dairy milk and butter.
Francesca Brown says
This is a beautiful delicious cake that is part of my baking rotation. Thank you for the recipe.
Shireen says
I make this gf and it’s a real winner!
Claire says
So fluffy and delicious served warm
Lucy says
Thank you so much!
Josephine says
This was so moist a favourite by all that ate it.
I didn't have full cream milk so used buttermilk not sure if it would be different if I used milk but the buttermilk definitely did alter the moisture of the cake. I will be doing this one again.
Lucy says
Fantastic!