It's taken me years to develop a honey cake I'm happy with. This recipe produces a dark and moist bake like my Grandma Betty Sedley used to make. Sometimes she would add juicy raisins and sub the flaked almond garnish for whole blanched almonds. It’s really worth giving this cake time to mature after baking. The flavours really develop and it gets more moist. I freeze a few loaves to use over the new year period and to break our Yom Kippur fast.

Method: 

• Preheat oven to 160°C (fan) and line 2 loaf tins (21cm x 11cm).
• In a large bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
• In another bowl or large, measuring jug, mix together the oil, honey, golden syrup, sugars and (warm but not boiling) coffee. Stir to dissolve the sugars and to combine everything then stir in the beaten eggs and orange juice.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring with a whisk as you pour. Stop stirring as soon as they are combined - with no floury lumps - and then divide the mixture equally between the two lined tins. Sprinkle the top with almonds if using.
• Bake 30 - 35 minutes, until the cake springs back when gently pressed - the centre will firm up last, so press lightly on the edges and also the middle to check for done-ness. Make sure it is cooked through — or it will sink — but be very careful not to overbake or it will be dry.
• Cool in the tins on a wire rack. Once fully cool, turn the cakes out and wrap well in baking parchment/foil and cling film, then store for 3 days or more. You can eat it on the day, but the flavours will be so much better if you can wait.

First published in the JC August 5 2021

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