10. Honey Spice Cake

Over Thanksgiving I wanted an additional something sweet to go along with our dinner. My mom bought a peach praline pie from a kid selling pies for a school fundraiser. I wanted something that would be a gentle opposite to the pie and offer some different texture and flavor. Come to find out, the pie was horrible, HORRIBLE! I never thought something could be too sweet nor have too much sugar; I was wrong. The pie tasted like syrup, pure simple syrup with peach juice. But at least the money went towards a good cause. As for my cake, oh honey, it saved dessert.

I choose to make this cake because 1) I could cross off another item on my top 100 list and 2) it was a simple cake and did not need frosting. Let me let you in on a little secret. Lean really close and promise not to tell anyone. I generally do not like cake frosting. Gasp! Shhhhh! Want to know an even dirtier secret? Lean closer. My favorite part of the cake is moist crumbs that are left behind on the cake board after the cake is sliced, served, and long gone. Those moist crumbs are like jewels to my palate. Excuse the drool… But I digress.

I tend to over prepare my pans; I have a fear of cakes sticking.

This cake truly celebrates the natural flavor of honey. I choose to use Orange Blossom honey because I like the flavor better then clover honey. If you have never had it, you are missing a treat. This cake does not need any frosting; it is great just sliced and eaten plain. Next time, I think I may sprinkle a few pecans in the pan, just to give a little gentle crunch and textural difference to the cake.

I nearly doubled the spices as called for in the original recipe and still did not really taste them, but I like to think the cake tasted better overall just because they were there. So, if you are expecting a honey SPICE Cake, this is not it. This is a HONEY spice Cake :-)

HONEY SPICE CAKE

(Originally from Second Helpings Please, Revised Edition and adapted from Mel’s Sweet Treats)

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil

1 lb. or 16 oz. orange blossom liquid honey

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup cold tea

zest of one orange

Method

1. Beat eggs and sugar.

2. Add oil and honey and blend well.

3. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with liquid.

4. Pour into a prepared bunt pan.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Once cake is placed in the oven immediately reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 1 hour.

7. Let cake cool in pan and remove when it is still slightly warm. Let it cool completely before covering.