Cinnamon tea cakes

Let’s play a game? Think of something tender. Now something three times more tender – there, you have these cakes.

I must be honest with you: I only made these cakes because I wanted to bake something right away and my butter was cold; I remembered that this recipe from DH mag #29 called for melted butter and gave it a try – it was a really good surprise.

Cinnamon tea cakes
from Donna Hay magazine

2 eggs, separated
1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (218g) caster sugar
1 cup (240ml) milk
2 cups (280g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon topping:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; butter two 15cm (6in) round cake pans, line the bottoms with baking paper and butter the paper*.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until thick and glossy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well to combine. Gradually add the milk then the flour, baking powder, butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Divide the mixture between prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Turn out onto wire racks.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. While the cakes are still hot, brush with the butter and dust with the combined brown sugar and cinnamon.

* I halved the recipe and used four 1-cup (240ml) capacity mini bundt pans; I generously buttered the pans and unmolded the cakes right after taking them out of the oven;

UPDATE: my blogger friend Rita made this exact recipe (the one posted here, not half as I did) and used a 20cm (8in) round cake pan

Makes 2