Irish warm flavored cake (Printable version)

A moist cake with cinnamon, raisins, walnuts, and a touch of orange zest for classic Irish warmth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 cup buttermilk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

→ Flavor & Add-Ins

12 - ½ cup golden raisins
13 - ½ cup chopped walnuts
14 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well blended.
03 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Stir buttermilk, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and orange zest into the butter mixture until combined.
05 - Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold golden raisins and walnuts into the batter until evenly distributed.
07 - Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top with spatula.
08 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
09 - Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or with whipped cream.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The buttermilk creates an incredibly tender crumb that stays moist for days
  • Golden raisins and orange zest give sunny brightness without any alcohol needed
  • This cake comes together with simple pantry staples but tastes bakery special
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly and create better texture
  • Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough, stop as soon as combined
  • The apple cider vinegar might seem unusual but it's essential for authentic Irish cake flavor
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight for foolproof results every time
  • Grate your orange zest before juicing the orange to get the most flavor

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