Brown Butter Traveller’s Loaf

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves 8–10

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter, cubed

Oil spray, for greasing

200g light brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

120ml buttermilk, or full-cream milk with 2 tsp white vinegar

To Serve

Icing sugar

Method

Put the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to first melt, then to foam and bubble away. Once the bubbling has stopped and the foaming has subsided, the butter will begin to turn a beautiful golden brown. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and chill in the freezer until the butter has just set (around 15–20 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. Spray a 23 × 13 cm (9 × 5 inch) loaf tin with oil, then dust with 1–2 teaspoons of additional plain flour. Tap the flour around the tin to evenly coat, then discard any remaining flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown butter and brown sugar and mix for 2–3 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, followed by the buttermilk, and mix everything together until just combined.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust liberally with icing sugar and enjoy – simple bliss!