This Sticky Toffee Hot Cross Loaf Cake takes the flavour of hot cross buns and combines it with sticky toffee pudding! The sponge is flavoured with warming spices and orange zest, it’s studded with juicy sultanas and brushed with gooey golden syrup. The loaf cake is coated with a delicious sticky toffee icing and decorated with crunchy chocolate orange mini eggs. This easy loaf cake is a delicious treat for Easter!
This recipe is kindly sponsored by Whittard of Chelsea.
Recipe overview
- FLAVOUR: This Sticky Toffee Hot Cross Loaf Cake is a mouth-watering blend of rich toffee, warm spices, fresh citrus zest, and juicy sultanas creating a decadent treat perfect for Easter or any special occasion.
- TEXTURE: This super delicious cake is moist and tender with a satisfyingly soft crumb. Combined with creamy icing and crunchy chocolate mini eggs, this cake is a treat for the senses!
- SERVES: This recipe will fill a 2lb loaf tin and will make 10 chunky slices.
Ingredients For This Sticky Toffee Hot Cross Loaf Cake:
To make the loaf cake you will need:
- Unsalted butter (room temperature): Adds richness, tenderness and structure to the sponge. Make sure your butter is at room temperature – it blends like a dream and makes your cake extra fluffy and soft!
- Golden caster sugar: Brings sweetness with a touch of caramel goodness, it’s ideal for making this Sticky Toffee Hot Cross Loaf Cake. You can use white caster sugar instead.
- 3 large or 4 medium eggs (room temperature): Eggs provide structure and richness to your cake. Using them at room temperature means they combine with the other ingredients better to form a smooth batter. This means an even bake for your cake.
- Wholemeal self-raising flour: Using wholemeal flour adds a nutty depth of flavour and a hearty texture to your cake. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can use 300g plain flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
- Cinnamon and mixed spice: The spices of hot cross buns! These add a hint of warmth and cosy flavour to your cake.
- Whittard Sticky Toffee Pudding White Hot Chocolate: A few spoonfuls of this incredible hot chocolate add an instant burst of toffee indulgence and caramel creaminess to the cake mixture.
- Orange zest: Adds a fresh zing to the loaf cake and the flavour of hot cross buns.
- Milk: Milk adds extra creaminess and moisture to the cake, making it super soft and fluffy.
- Sultanas: Found in hot cross buns, the sultanas in this loaf cake add pockets of juicy sweetness and delightful chewiness.
To decorate the loaf cake I used:
- Golden syrup: Brushed over the cake whilst warm so it sinks into the sponge, creating an extra moist texture and even more sticky toffee flavour.
- Sticky toffee icing: A simple blend of icing sugar, Whittard Sticky Toffee Pudding White Hot Chocolate, milk and a pinch of salt. This delicious icing is poured on top of the loaf cake.
- Chocolate orange mini eggs: I used Terry’s for a touch more orange flavour and a delicious crunch on top of the cake!
How To Make The Sticky Toffee Icing
The delicious sticky toffee icing is so simple to make and adds an extra hit of toffee and caramel flavour to the cake!
To make the icing, mix the Whittard Sticky Toffee Pudding White Hot Chocolate powder and milk in a mug. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds and then stir until smooth. This will dissolve the sugar crystals and create a smooth liquid.
Pour the liquid into a bowl, add the icing sugar and salt, and mix until the icing is lovely and smooth. You can then pour this all over your cake, letting it drip down the sides, before topping with chocolate orange mini eggs for the finishing touch!
What is Golden Syrup?
Golden syrup is a sweet, amber-coloured syrup that is commonly used in baking and cooking. It has a thick, viscous consistency and a rich, caramel-like flavour with hints of toffee and buttery notes. Heating the golden syrup makes it thinner in consistency. You can then brush it on the cake to add sweetness and moisture.
How to Measure Golden Syrup
When measuring golden syrup, it can be helpful to lightly grease the measuring spoon with a little oil or cooking spray, or allow the measuring spoon to sit in some hot water for a few minutes before using. This will allow the syrup to slide off more easily and ensure accurate measurements. It is very sticky so clean up any spillages as soon as you can!
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Quick Recipe Tips
- Use a 2lb loaf tin for recipe accuracy. It’s important to use the same-sized loaf tin to get the best results from this recipe. The ingredient measurements and the baking time are only accurate if you use a 2lb loaf tin. However, if a 1lb loaf tin is all you have, try halving all of the ingredients and reducing the baking time to 45-50 minutes.
- Keep the oven door shut until at least 65 minutes to stop the loaf cake from sinking. This time is a guideline as all ovens differ. Keep a close eye on the loaf cake after 65 minutes – when fully baked, the loaf cake should look golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed in the middle.
- Brush on the golden syrup while the cake is still warm – this will allow the syrup to sink into the sponge adding extra moisture.
- If you find the sticky toffee icing is too thick, just add a drop more milk. On the flip side, if you find it’s too thin, mix in a bit more icing sugar.
- Use a rolling pin to crush up the mini eggs for the decoration. Just open the bag slightly and then bash them!
- To store your loaf cake and keep it fresh, first wrap it in foil and store it in a baking tin at room temperature for up to 3-4 days (if it lasts that long!).
Sticky Toffee Hot Cross Loaf Cake
Ingredients
For the loaf cake:
- 300 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
- 250 grams golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs or 4 medium eggs at room temperature
- 300 grams wholewheat self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 3 tablespoon Whittard Sticky Toffee Pudding White Hot Chocolate
- 1 large orange zest only
- 100 grams sultanas
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup
For the icing and decoration:
- 1 tablespoon Whittard Sticky Toffee Pudding White Hot Chocolate
- 40 mililitres milk (approximately 2 tablespoons)
- 100 grams icing sugar
- Pinch salt
- Chocolate Orange Mini Eggs crushed and whole
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC fan/180ºC conventional oven. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and golden caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding one tablespoon of the 300 grams of flour with each egg to stop the mixture from curdling.
- Stir the flour, cinnamon, mixed spice, hot chocolate powder and orange zest together in a separate bowl.
- Tip the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and add the milk. Fold until smooth and combined. The mixture will be thick.
- Fold in the sultanas.
- Spread the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 65-70 minutes. This time is a guideline as all ovens differ. Keep a close eye on the loaf cake after 65 minutes. When fully baked, the loaf cake should look golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed in the middle. When baked, remove it from the oven.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out and place onto a wire rack.
- Heat the golden syrup in a small saucepan and whilst the cake is still warm, brush the top with a little warmed syrup, letting it sink into the sponge.
- Leave the cake to cool completely.
- To make the icing, first combine the hot chocolate powder and milk in a mug. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds, then stir until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add the icing sugar and salt, and then mix until smooth.
- Spread the icing on top of the loaf cake and decorate with the mini eggs. Slice the cake, and enjoy a piece with a cosy mug of Whittard Breakfast Tea!
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Have you made this Sticky Toffee Hot Cross Loaf Cake?
I really hope you enjoyed it and would love to hear what you think! Leave a comment or star rating below. Drop me a message on my Instagram or tag @jessie.bakes.cakes in your posts so I can see your delicious bake!