Caraway Ring Cake

This caraway ring cake is an old British-style tea cake that pairs the warm licorice-like bite of caraway seeds with a generous dose of cinnamon in both the batter and the glaze. It’s a flavor combination you don’t see often anymore, but one bite and you’ll understand why it stuck around for centuries.

Five eggs separated and the whites whipped to stiff peaks give this cake a light, almost angel food-like texture despite the full cup of butter in the batter. Folding those stiff whites in gently is what keeps the crumb tender and airy instead of dense.

The cinnamon glaze is simple: confectioners’ sugar, more cinnamon, and hot cream whisked until smooth and pourable. It drips down the ridges of the tube pan shape and firms up into a sweet, spiced coating that cracks when you slice through it.

Baking at 325°F (165°C) gives the cake time to rise evenly without browning too fast on the outside. Grease and flour only the bottom of the pan. The ungreased sides give the batter something to grip as it climbs, which helps it rise taller.

Pro Tips

• Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. This is where the cake’s structure starts.
• Beat egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Any trace of grease or yolk prevents them from reaching stiff peaks.
• Fold the whites in thirds: the first batch lightens the batter, the second and third preserve volume. Use a wide spatula and gentle strokes.
• Cool the cake completely before glazing. Warm cake melts the glaze and it soaks in instead of setting on top.

Variations

• Lemon caraway: Add the zest of one lemon to the batter and replace the cinnamon glaze with a lemon glaze.
• Seed-free version: Omit the caraway seeds for a straight cinnamon butter cake if the licorice flavor isn’t your thing.
• Orange glaze: Swap the hot cream in the glaze for fresh orange juice for a citrus-spice finish.