Chocolate Cinnamon Loaf w/ Sugar Spice Crust

When I used to work on the road a lot, I was addicted to Starbucks iced Americano drinks. 2 shots of espresso with some water on ice. Loved the kick. Needed the kick.

Since times are tough, and business is slow, I am on the road less and drinking less Starbucks treats. Coffee at home will do just fine.

During my addiction, I remember this fantastic chocolate cinnamon cake with a delicious sugary spicy crust on top. Where can I find that damn recipe???????

On GOOGLE! Where else? I googled "Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Cake" and a zillion blogs came up as well as the Starbucks website showing the NYC chef & owner of Aquavit restaurant, Marcus Samuelsson's ever so popular recipe. A nice blogger named Baking Bites cut the recipe in half so I didn't have 2 of these loaves sitting around. One will be enough, thank you.

I made it instead of a birthday cake for my mom, and we LOVED it.
Now if I can only make that iced Americano!



Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Loaf w/ Sugar Crust (recipe has been halved)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
pinch ground cloves
pinch of ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350F and thoroughly grease a 9×5″ loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, waiting until the previous egg has been completely incorporated before adding the next.

In a medium bowl, sift together all purpose flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In a measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, water and vanilla extract.
Working in two or three additions, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the sugar mixture. Begin and end with an addition of the flour mix.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.



In a small bowl, whisk together topping ingredients: sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder and ground cloves. Sprinkle evenly on top of the loaf cake.
Bake at 350F for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and turn out onto a wire cooling rack.
Cool completely before slicing.



Chocolate chip cookie recipe by Jacques Torres will follow......