Christmas Cinnamon Bundt Cake

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Prepare the bundt cake pan

• Brush the tin with melted butter using a pastry brush to thoroughly cover the inside surface. Then scatter the flour, moving the tin from side to side to form an even coating. Invert the tin to remove any excess flour. Set aside.

Make the cake

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using a hand-held mixer at a medium speed until the mix is light in texture and pale in colour.
• Add the eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk. Continue to beat until everything is well incorporated.
• Then place a sieve on top of the mixing bowl. Sift in flour, bicarbonate of soda, sea salt and cinnamon. Mix all together at medium low speed until just well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Even out the top using a spatula or scraper.
• Bake the cake in a preheated oven (180°C) for about 35 – 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. For your reference, mine took 38 minutes to bake.
• Leave the cake cool in the tin for about 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the icing

• Place the icing sugar in a mixing bowl.
• Add the oil, clear vanilla extract and about a tbsp of hot water. Start mixing them together manually.
• Gradually add the hot water and continue to mix the mixture until it reaches the right consistency. The icing should be thick and viscous but too stiff as we want it to begin to slide down the sides of the cake.
• Transfer the icing into a piping bag. Twist the top tightly and use a clip it to avoid it starting to dry out. Set aside.

Decorate the cake

• Once the cake is cooled, transfer onto a serving plate.
• Cut a hole at the end of the piping bag. Start squeezing the icing onto the top of the cake. Once you are happy with the amount of the icing, gently shake the cake to even out the icing. It should begin to fall slowly towards the edges of the cake, creating the semblance of a snowy overhang.
• Sprinkle the Christmas sprinkles in your own creative design to decorate.
• Place the caster sugar on a plate. Spray two sprigs of rosemary with a little water and then dip them into the sugar to create a snowy coating effect. Place it on the side of the cake for extra decoration.
• Lastly, dust some icing sugar on top of the cake to make it snow and look even prettier.
• Enjoy! Merry Christmas!