Cinnamon Spelt Cake

Spelt , is a species of the wheat family and has been in use since the Bronze age. The grain is grown in Britain and is reputed to be easier to digest that other strains of wheat, I have been using the flour in some of my baking for a while. Its pretty easy to get hold of in a quality supermarket and most health food stores will stock Spelt in various forms.

This recipe was one of the first I made using Spelt flour and you will find that the flour gives a pleasant nutty yeasty twang to the cake, recipes in most cases need to be adapted slightly to spelt flour. The topping is also a little unusual but go with it as it works to provide a nice crunchy top to the cake.

Ingredients

• 100g softened butter or quality vegetable margarine
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 3 eggs - free range 
• 100g demerara sugar
• 150g spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g ground almonds

Method

• Cream the margarine / butter with the soft brown sugar, then beat in 2 of your eggs
• Add the spelt flour,baking powder and 1tsp of cinnamon
• Mix well and then turn into an oiled cake tin, either a loose bottomed or springform works best.
• Mix together your demerara sugar, ground almonds and the remaining tsp of cinnamon and the egg to a grainy paste, spread this over the top of the cake mix in the tin.
• Bake in a pre heated oven @ 180c for approx 30 minutes until well risen and cooked through.
• Cool in the tin