my love affair with cinnamon

It's no secret--even sporadic readers of my blog should know how strongly I feel about cinnamon. I can't get enough, and I'll add it to just about any recipe if it's not there in the first place and bump it up if it is.


Further, if you've ever made anything topped with cream cheese frosting, chances are good that I've left a comment confessing my adoration of it. So as you can imagine, when cinnamon and cream cheese frosting are combined in one sensational dessert, I quickly become a useless (and completely satisfied) excuse for a human being (with a mess of sugar and spice all over my face).

This is quite possibly my favorite cake and frosting combination. I know that there are a lot of possible combinations out there (approximately 834,392,621, give or take 15), but for me, this one takes the cake (insert rim shot here).


(look at those beautiful speckles of cinnamon!)

The abundant amounts of cinnamon in both the cake and icing may be too much for some, but I think the balance is just right. The orange peel packs a refreshing punch that really shouldn't be skipped--I've gone without it and been left wanting. Be forewarned: It's a dense cake, but the texture is fabulous and the degree of moistness is pretty near perfect. The thick layers of that sweet and tangy frosting complete this fabulous creation.


Cinnamon Cake with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting
(or, Just How Much Cinnamon Can One Mouth Handle?)
(based on this cake and this frosting)

Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Sift first 4 ingredients into small bowl. Stir milk and butter in small saucepan over low heat just until butter melts; set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick enough for batter to fall in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in orange peel and vanilla. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Add warm milk mixture; beat just until blended. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 24 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes. Cut around pan sides and turn cakes out onto racks. Turn cakes right side up.

For frosting, mix the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the vanilla extract and cinnamon and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness. Spread one cup of frosting onto first layer. Top with second layer. Smooth the rest of the frosting onto the top and sides using your preferred technique. I like to use my tongue.