Heat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas 4). Lightly grease a standard loaf tin (around 2 lb / 21 × 11 cm) and line it with baking parchment

Beat the softened butter (120g) and caster sugar (120g) together in a mixing bowl until pale and aerated

Whisk in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated

Fold in the self-raising flour and ground cinnamon, then gently stir through the milk until you have a smooth, dropping-consistency batter

Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the sponge to cool completely in the tin

Melt the butter (25g) in a small saucepan over medium heat

Stir in the light brown sugar and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously as it thickens slightly

Take off the heat, mix in the vanilla extract, and pour into a heatproof dish to cool completely

Line a small baking tray or heatproof plate with parchment paper

Add the caster sugar (25g) to a clean saucepan over medium heat, letting it melt undisturbed until it turns an amber caramel

Immediately tip in the chopped pecans, stir quickly to coat, and pour out onto the parchment. Leave undisturbed until hard and set, then roughly crush or chop into shards

Beat the softened butter (35g) for about a minute until creamy

Gradually mix in the icing sugar until pale and fluffy, then whip in half of the cooled caramel sauce until smooth

Turn the cooled cake out onto a serving board. Spread the buttercream evenly across the top, drizzle over the remaining caramel sauce, and finish with a generous scattering of crunchy pecan praline