Make Ahead

Cinnamon-Anise Snack Cake

by:
October 19, 2020
4.6
9 Ratings
Cinnamon-Anise Snack Cake
Photo by Julia Gartland. Food stylist: Lauren Lapenna. Prop stylist: Sophie Strangio.
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

This is a simple, not overly sweet, and delicious cake that is great just out of the oven and just as great with coffee the next morning. If you don’t have anise extract you could also use ground anise, or omit the anise and just make it a cinnamon flavored cake. —clintonhillbilly

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Cinnamon-Anise Snack Cake
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon anise extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest, dried or fresh
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour (ground almonds)
  • 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup milk
Directions
  1. Cream butter and sugar together for about one minute.
  2. Add eggs, milk, anise and vanilla extract, and orange zest, and beat briefly to combine.
  3. Add flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and beat in low to combine (or use a spoon or whisk)
  4. Grease a small square or rectangular pan (I use an oven safe glass food storage container). Pour in batter and bake for twenty minutes at 350.
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clintonhillbilly

Recipe by: clintonhillbilly

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9 Reviews

SophieL
SophieL December 26, 2023
Delicious! Needing to use up ingredients I had on hand (leftover from holiday baking), I made this cake with ghee instead of butter, ground anise instead of anise extract, tangerine zest instead of orange zest, and half & half instead of milk. Sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top and baked for 21 minutes. Wonderful snacking cake.
 
Emily
Emily October 1, 2022
Love this cake. When out of anise, I use fennel instead for a similar flavor.
 
boulaislib
boulaislib January 29, 2022
Made this afternoon. Didn't have anise extract and realized that I don't care for anise...but subbed in Almond extract and added a little nutmeg so it wasn't just cinnamon cake. It is yummy, but maybe a bit dry. I baked for 25 minutes because at 20 it seemed a little underdone. Maybe should have gone for 22 minutes. Will try next time.
 
Teresa H.
Teresa H. February 1, 2021
The ingredients list milk, but the instructions never say to add milk. Which is wrong?
 
clintonhillbilly
clintonhillbilly February 2, 2021
Step 2 includes adding the milk.
 
Stephanie E.
Stephanie E. January 11, 2021
I wanted to love this cake- the flavors sounded right up my alley. I followed the recipe as written but found the cake actually still too sweet, the anise flavor overpowered by the cinnamon and the texture was gummy. Sorry it didn't work for me. Maybe with aniseed and less sugar it would have been better.
 
drbabs
drbabs January 7, 2021
I love this cake. I made it with whole wheat flour, so I got to think of it as sort of healthy. So delicious. I made it in an 8 inch round pan, which worked perfectly.
 
Eva S.
Eva S. January 2, 2021
Extremely delicious! I did not have anise extract, so used ground aniseed. It was fragrant, not too sweet, and truly lovely. I used blitzed some roasted slivered almonds, which absolutely added to the flavor. Perfect with fig jam or marmalade. I will be making it again!!
 
Sally B.
Sally B. January 4, 2021
How much ground aniseed did you use? Thanks!