Honey Cake

Honey Cake

Adapted from Joan Nathan by Blue Heron Kitchen

Joan Nathan owes her life to celebrity chef, Tom Colicchio, who, at a star chef event, performed the Heimlich maneuver on her when she began choking on a chicken bone. 

Everyone says they hate honey cake.  That’s because they’ve never tasted this one. After baking and tasting this honey cake, like Joan, you too will be inscribed in the book of life.

Thanks to my friend Pnina, who is both a fabulous baker and a registered dietician, I’ve gotten into the habit of replacing part of my unbleached white flour for either whole wheat pastry flour, or straight up whole wheat flour. Use Bob's Red Mill flours.  They're available online, through Amazon or at better markets everywhere. 

For these honey cakes, Golden Blossom Honey is queen.  The orange blossom-ness is perfect.  It has been around forever and it's reliable, available and consistent.  I use it for graham crackers too.  Save the Manuka for health and well-being and the Tupelo for pay day and Van Morrison.

I use freshly ground coffee beans and throw in a shot of espresso. And King Arthur Flour’s, fiori di sicilia, an extract/flavoring of vanilla and citrus oil, adds an enticing “voos up mit dat?” 

These cakes rise to the heavens, so whatever loaf pans you use (I use the paper ones), fill them no more than between a half and two thirds up.

Last, you don’t have to be Jewish to make/love/honey/cake.  

Peace, love and L’shana Tova,

jane 

Ingredients:

1 cup freshly brewed strong coffee

1 ¾ cup honey

½ tsp fiori de sicilia (or flavoring of choice … 1 tsp. vanilla will work)

4 eggs, size large, room temperature

4 Tbsp. canola oil

1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar (make sure it’s very fresh and moist)

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground mace

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg (freshly ground makes all the difference)

½ tsp. ground ginger

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Procedure:

Coat the inside of your liquid measuring cup with some canola oil and measure out honey (it will pour out easily).

In a 2-qt. saucepan, combine the coffee and honey and bring to a soft boil.  Remove from heat and cool.  Stir in fiori de sicilia/flavoring. 

While liquid is cooling measure out all dry ingredients into a large bowl and with a wire whisk, mix them together well.

Preheat oven to 300º F. If you are using conventional loaf pans, grease and flour two 9 x 5 loaf pans.  Or, use paper molds (no need to prepare these).  Or use any combination of loaf pans you have available.  Cupcake molds will work, but I'm sick of cupcakes.

In the bowl of a Kitchen Aid or other electric mixer, beat the eggs, oil and sugar.

Stir the flour mixture and cooled honey mixture alternately (Truc: always end with the dry).

Pour batter into prepared (or unprepared paper) pans and bake for 60-70 minutes (in the large loaf pans) or less in smaller loaf pans, or until the cakes are springy to the touch. Wrap them up after they've cooled.

Ahead of time self-control warning:

So that the spices and honey have a chance to develop a spicy and complex relationship, DO NOT SERVE FOR 24 hours.  

Olive didn't wait and look what happened to her.