Homemade bakery-style loaf cake / sweet breakfast cake
A soft, buttery loaf cake with warm cinnamon ribbons running through a tender vanilla crumb. It feels homemade, smells like a pastry kitchen, and slices beautifully for breakfast, coffee time, or dessert.
Recipe video
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease and flour a 23 × 13 cm / 9 × 5 in loaf pan, then line the base with parchment.
Mix 45 g / 1.6 oz sugar, 8 g / 0.3 oz cinnamon, and 15 g / 0.5 oz melted butter until sandy and fragrant.
In a large bowl, beat 170 g / 6 oz softened butter with 190 g / 6.7 oz sugar for 3–4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add the vanilla.
In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk. Mix only until smooth.
Spoon about one third of the batter into a small bowl and fold in half of the cinnamon mixture.
Spread half of the plain batter in the prepared pan and level it gently.
Add spoonfuls of cinnamon batter over the plain layer, leaving natural gaps.
Cover with the remaining plain batter, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture on top.
Drag a knife through the batter 3–4 times to create soft marbling. Do not overmix.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until risen, golden, and a skewer comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and cool on a rack.
Slice with a serrated knife and serve slightly warm or fully cooled.
