Honey Cake
Instructions:
- A slow oven keeps the honey from caramelizing too quickly. A mix of fl ours assures a tender cake. Makes one 9-inch round cake
- 1â„4 cup canola oil, plus additional for greasing the pan
- 1 cup all-purpose fl our, plus additional for dusting the pan
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry fl our
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1â„2 teaspoon salt
- 1â„4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1â„4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 3â„4 cup honey
- 1â„4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1â„4 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
- Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Dab a little oil on a paper towel and grease a 9-inch round spring form pan. Lightly dust the inside of the pan with fl our, shaking out any excess.
- Whisk both fl ours, the baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Beat the honey and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy and light, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting about 1 minute after adding the first before adding the second. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the canola oil and vanilla just until smooth.
- Turn off the beaters, add half the prepared flour mixture, and beat at low speed until combined. Beat in the milk, then turn off the beaters and add the rest of the fl our mixture. Beat at very low speed just until combined, until there are no white rifts of fl our visible.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake until puffed and lightly browned, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.
- To cool: Set the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then release the rim of the spring form pan and continue cooling on the rack until room temperature.
- To store: Keep the cake on the pan’s bottom, wrap in plastic or place on a cake plate under a dome when completely cooled; store at room temperature up to 2 days. Wrapped, the cake can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Variations: Different varieties of honey will produce a range of flavors; try tree varietals like pine or chestnut or perfumy ones like orange blossom or star thistle.