Loaf cakes are a delicious and simple treat that can be made in a variety of flavours and styles. They are easy to make and require minimal effort, making them the perfect dessert for busy days or when you want to indulge in something sweet without spending too much time in the kitchen.
One of the best things about loaf cakes is that you can create a variety of different cakes from one basic base recipe. This means that once you have perfected the base recipe you can get creative with different flavours and ingredients to make a range of different cakes to suit everyone’s taste. This World Baking Day, be sure to add this recipe to your favourites! We guarantee you won’t regret it.
To make the basic loaf cake, you will need the following INGREDIENTS:
- 190g butter
- 190g caster sugar
- 190g plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 25 ml sour cream (substitute with 25g natural yoghurt for the Honey and Walnut and Orange, Almond & Yoghurt versions)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- check out the Pistachio loaf version for additional icing ingredients
Directions
- To make the cake, preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf tin with butter and a dusting of flour.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the sour cream/yoghurt and then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the mixture and mix again.
- Pour the mix into the greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until the loaf feels firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean i.e. no uncooked batter sticks to the skewer.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for a while before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
So, that’s the basic loaf cake done but let’s make things more interesting and add some delicious variations.
Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake
To make a lemon blueberry loaf cake, add the zest and juice of one small lemon to the basic batter and fold in 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries. Bake as directed.
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
To make a chocolate chip loaf cake, add 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips to the basic batter. Bake as directed.
Pistachio Loaf
To make this delicious pistachio loaf add 100g of shelled and roughly chopped pistachios to the batter. Bake as directed.
Walnut and Honey Loaf
Add 2 tablespoons of runny honey and 60g of roughly chopped nuts to the batter. Bake as directed.
Orange, Almond & Yoghurt Loaf
Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest and 10g of flaked almonds to the batter. Bake as directed.
Cinnamon & Raisin Loaf
Add 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon and 70g of raisins to the batter and bake as above.
Cardamom Loaf
Split 10 cardamom pods removing the seeds and crushing them in a pestle and mortar. Add to the batter and bake.
No matter which variation you choose, loaf cakes are a delicious and easy dessert that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. With just a few simple ingredients and some creativity, you can create a variety of different cakes to suit any occasion.
Be sure to check out our other food and drink ideas:
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