Cinnamon crumble cake

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. To make the crumble, put the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl and whisk together to break down any lumps of sugar.

Put the butter into a pan to melt over a low heat. Once melted, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Allow the butter to bubble, swirling the pan occasionally. Once the bubbling stops, and a fine, cappuccino-like foam appears, along with a gentle caramelised nutty smell, remove the butter from the heat and pour into the dry ingredients. Beat to a damp paste. This will seem wet for a crumble, but that’s how it should be.

Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then tip it onto a baking sheet and break into fairly chunky nuggets. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until browned and drier, then allow to cool on the baking sheet

For the cake, grease a 23x33cm baking tin and line with baking parchment. Repeat the process for browning the butter, tipping the browned butter into a heatproof bowl. Allow to cool until no longer scorching hot (it should still be warm and liquid).

Put the eggs and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a paddle attachment on high speed until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is paler and greater in volume. Add the browned butter in a gradual stream with the mixer on low, then add the buttermilk and beat in. The mixture should stay fairly silky, but don’t worry if it splits a little. Add the flour and salt and beat to a batter.

Put 100g batter into a bowl with the dark brown sugar and cinnamon (for the swirl) and beat until evenly combined. Put the remaining cake batter into the prepared cake tin and level with the back of a spoon or a palette knife.

Put the cinnamon paste mixture into a disposable piping bag with a 0.2-0.3cm hole cut into the tip. Pipe the paste onto the cake batter in erratic swirls. Scatter over half of the crumble, then bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the tin before making and applying the icing.

For the icing, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl and add the buttermilk, melted butter and honey. Beat to a thick running mixture, then pour over the cake while still in the tin. Spread the icing over the cake with a palette knife or the back of a spoon, and scatter over the remaining crumble. Allow the icing to set, then serve.