Lowen Cakes

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

• Flour – The sturdy base for a soft, fluffy crumb.
• Butter – Brings richness and tenderness to the cake.
• Crème fraîche (or sour cream/yogurt): Adds tang and keeps the cake moist.
• Honey – Sweetens naturally and shines in the glaze.
• Brown sugar & cinnamon – Create that classic warm swirl.
• Powdered sugar – For a smooth honey glaze that melts into the cake.

Tips for a Perfect Cinnamon Swirl Honey Cake

Place the swirl near the top: To avoid it sinking, dollop the swirl closer to the top layer of batter and spread lightly.

Use a glass pan? Lower the oven temp: Glass bakes slower, so go for 170°C (340°F) and check doneness at 45 minutes.

Double the glaze: Let half soak into the warm cake, then save the rest to drizzle before slicing.

Check height: The batter should fill at least ½ the depth of your pan for a tall, photo-worthy cake.

FAQ

Can I use sour cream instead of crème fraîche?
Yes! Sour cream or thick yogurt both work well in place of crème fraîche.

My swirl sank — what went wrong?
Sugar-heavy mixtures can sink. Place swirl dollops closer to the top, or add 1 tbsp flour to the swirl mixture for more stability.

How do I make this cake more fragrant?
Add ½ tsp cardamom or nutmeg to the cinnamon for a more aromatic profile, without overpowering the honey.

🧊 Storage Tips

• Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days.
• For longer storage, freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in cling film, then thaw and warm gently before serving.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 270 g (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 115 g (½ cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 240 g (1 cup) crème fraîche (or sour cream/yogurt)
• 120 g (120 ml / ½ cup) whole milk

For the cinnamon swirl

• 100 g (½ cup) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 40 g (2 tbsp) honey
• 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

For the Honey Glaze

• 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
• 80 g (4 tbsp) honey
• 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 30–60 g (2–4 tbsp) milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Prep Pan & Oven
   • Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F)
   • Grease and line (optional) a pan close to a 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch pan.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
   • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Mix wet ingredients
   • Beat softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
   • Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
   • Mix in crème fraîche until smooth. Alternate dry mix and milk in two parts, starting and ending with dry.
4. Prepare swirl
   • Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, and melted butter.
5. Assemble cake
   • Spread 3/4 batter into the pan.
   • Dollop swirl mixture over, keeping closer to the top.
   • Spread remaining batter over and run a knife in gentle figure-8 motions to swirl.
   • Spread remaining batter on top.
6. Bake
   • Bake 45–50 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
7. Glaze
   • Mix all glaze ingredients together and whisk well.
   • While the cake is warm, pour half the glaze to soak in.
   • Save the rest for drizzling over before slicing (and extra over individual slices).
8. Cool & Serve
   • Rest 20–30 minutes before cutting into thick slices.

Notes

Serving suggestion: This cake pairs beautifully with a hot tea