This is a revamped version of the original Cornflake Crumble Cake but this version is much lighter and fluffier.

A simple way to elevate any cake is by adding a streusel topping, a mixture of flour, butter and sugar almost like a crumble. My little twist on the classic streusel is to use Demerara sugar which adds a slight molasses flavour and add cornflakes for extra crunchiness. Feel free to add chopped nuts or even dried fruit for more texture and a vibrant flavour.

To make the cake so light, fluffy and delicate, I usually add a form of yoghurt to the cake batter. The naturally acidic yoghurt reacts with the baking powder to produce a lighter cake and adds extra moisture too. Today I didn’t have any so I used a 30:70 mixture of cream cheese and milk which has the same effect. You can also use buttermilk if you have it.

Cornflakes are most certainly not just for breakfast, have a look at all the cornflake recipes here on my blog!

Crunchy Cornflake Chicken Bites

Cornflake and Almond Tart

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For the streusel:

80g self raising flour

50g margarine

40g Demerara sugar

1/4 tsp mixed spice

70g cornflakes, unsweetened

For the cake batter:

175g margarine

200g sugar

3 eggs

240g self raising flour

30g cream cheese

70ml milk

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Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment.

Prepare the streusel by rubbing in the margarine into the flour, sugar and mixed spice until there are some fine crumbs and some chunky pieces. Crush up the cornflakes in your hands and mix through the streusel. Set aside.

Place all the ingredients for the cake batter into a mixing bowl and beat together for 1 minute until the batter is a light golden colour, well mixed and is even, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.

Spread half of the cake batter in one layer in the tin. Cover it completely with a layer of the streusel. Dollop over the remaining cake batter carefully, trying not to move the streusel around. Spread to cover the streusel before topping with the rest of the streusel mixture.

Bake the cake in the oven for around 35 – 40 minutes until it is well risen, the streusel is golden and crisp and an inserted skewer in the deepest part of the cake comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the baking tin for 15 minutes before lifting it out the tin, placing onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing into 16 squares.