Winter spices are a warming addition to plain sponge cake, whether layering them up or baking individual cupcakes or muffins.
Spiced loaf cake is a common British recipe, but those looking for something more indulgent can try Matt Tebbutt's "delicious little muffin-sized gingerbread cakes".
Officially known as Nonnettes, which translates literally to "little nuns", these teatime treats are traditionally made from honey and rye flour and are usually filled with orange marmalade or honey.
The Saturday Kitchen presenter's recipe calls for "lots of spices," and the cakes even contain a secret layer of marmalade.
Nonnettes are the perfect quirky alternative to carrot cake and other classics like and Plus, the sweet muffins will keep much longer than a large cake if they are kept in an airtight container.
French Nonnettes recipe
Ingredients
80g salted butter
200ml honey
100ml milk
90g dark brown sugar
250gplain flour
50grye flour
Two tsp baking powder
One tsp bicarbonate of soda
A pinch of ground cinnamon
A pinch of Chinese five-spice powder
A pinch of ground ginger
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
A pinch of mace
150g marmalade
Icing sugar and fine orange zest to decorate
Method
First, preheat the oven to 200C/180C/Gas 6, then grease eight of the holes in a 12-hole muffin tin.
Mix the butter, honey, milk, sugar and 100ml/3½fl oz of water in a pan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter.
In a large bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, Chinese five-spice powder, ginger, nutmeg and mace.
Gently stir the melted liquid mixture into the flour and spices while still warm and mix well to combine.
Gently stir the melted liquid mixture into the flour and spices while still warm and mix well to combine.
Now, fill eight of the muffin holes halfway with the cake mixture, then add a spoonful of marmalade before topping up each hole with the remaining mixture.
Bake the cakes in the oven for 20 minutes, remove them and leave to cool on the side. Finally, dust the baked Nonnettes with icing sugar and sprinkle over the orange zest to finish.
Bake the cakes in the oven for 20 minutes, remove them and leave to cool on the side. Finally, dust the baked Nonnettes with icing sugar and sprinkle over the orange zest to finish.
