There’s a bit of a trend with cinnamon going on at the moment, but I love cinnamon, so I’m not complaining.

Before I start this post, full transparency: this cake was made at the beginning of April at 4am before the Hong Kong Rugby 7s weekend, so it’s not a new recipe that I can bring for people to try over the next few days.

For those that don’t know, the 7s is a 3-day tournament of 7-a-side rugby. And it’s Hong Kong’s biggest party. People travel from all over the world to experience the Hong Kong 7s. It’s huge. There are costumes all over the place, there are children and adults enjoying some incredible rugby, and there are tonnes of drunk party people in the infamous South Stand.

I haven’t been for a few years, due to travel or needing a break. But this year, I attended as part of a farewell weekend for an OG rugby lady and her husband. They even got me back into the South Stand after 3 years away. If you ever go into the South Stand on the Saturday of the 7s, you have got to get there early or it fills up and you have to stand in a queue for hours.

Now the reason I ended up baking this deliciously moist cake at 4am on Saturday morning is because I was meant to do it on Friday night. But the Pimms I was drinking on Friday at the 7s may or may not have had gin added to it (on purpose) and therefore I was feeling a bit woozy, and was asleep by 9pm. It was clearly on my mind because I came to the conclusion that the reason I couldn’t sleep past 4am was because I needed to make this cake.

I am so glad I did.

My group of friends guarded this cake from prying eyes like Mama Bears. And what a photo we got of the cake in front of the entire stadium. Completely worth the early morning baking session – and something I would gladly do again for this cake.

Ingredients

120 grams butter, melted
220 grams caster sugar
250 grams plain flour
220 grams sour cream
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon sugar mix: 100 grams sugar + 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Grease and flour a 27cm x 21cm baking dish.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and butter and mix well.
5. Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream, and stir until incorporated.
6. Gradually stir in the flour mixture.
7. Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar mix and set aside.
8. Pour half of the batter into the greased baking dish. Add half of the cinnamon mixture and swirl around. Cover with the remaining batter, and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture over the top. Swirl gently through the top layer.
9. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.