Honey cake: the star of the show

After a glorious summer holiday in a treehouse in the middle of France – more on that later – my nose was firmly planted back on the grindstone within hours of setting foot in my home.

Not unusual, as I normally spend the first day or two in a laundry basket, but this time there was more work to be done.

Since Monday morning, I’ve made no less than NINE honey cakes. NINE!

Why? Because a BBC journo had contacted me in France asking if I would talk to them about Jewish honey cake, honey cake fails and how to make a perfect honey cake. She'd read this post about my lovely reader query. 

We agreed to film something in my kitchen today. The day my children returned to school. Not stressful at all….

The BBC visit also provoked some serious kitchen decluttering and cleaning. The threat of a television camera zooming in on my oven was the rocket I needed to finally work out how to get the door off so I could clean it properly. Only took me seven years. (I’m blushing as I type.)  

Anyway, after a very shouty start to the school year, the mini Fressers were at school, my hair was washed and blow dried and my make-up, camera ready.

On Sunday, you’ll be able to check out how clean my oven, as it makes its BBC debut. You’ll also be able to see first-hand how I make my honey cake. It will be online only – hopefully the bits I missed won’t show up on your smart phone.  

For now, here is the recipe. It’s a tweaked version of the one I favoured last year. Broadly based on one from Jewish baking star, Marcy Goldman, a few Jewish bloggers have played around with it. I started with Hannah Goldsmith’s version (from her blog Building Feasts) but have changed the spicing and method slightly.

I suspect you don’t need to mix bicarbonate of soda and orange juice before adding them, but I like the theatre. My children particularly enjoy that part, so why not?!

Without further waffle — here is this year’s honey cake:

Ingredients:

440g plain flour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
250 ml vegetable oil
175g honey
175g golden syrup
150g caster sugar
100g soft brown sugar
250ml freshly brewed coffee (I use a posh decaff instant)
3 large eggs
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
180ml orange juice
Topping:
A handful of flaked almonds

Method:

• Preheat oven to 160°c fan. (180°c regular).
• Grease and line 3 loaf tins or a 9.5 – 10” bundt tin.
• In a large bowl whisk flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
• In another bowl, mix together remaining ingredients (except the orange juice and bicarbonate of soda) adding coffee last.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, mixing with a strong whisk or wooden spoon and combine until all ingredients are fully incorporated. 
• Pour the orange juice into a high sided container and add the bicarbonate of soda. Give it a quick stir – it will foam up almost immediately – and quickly pour it into the batter. Stir quickly to combine and pour the batter into the prepared pans.Try to remember to sprinkle the top with almonds if using loaf tins!!!
• Put cakes on a baking sheet in the oven and bake — 40-45 minutes for the loaves and 55 – 60 for the bundt tin. DO NOT open the oven before that time is up. When you do test for done-ness, the cake will spring back when gently pressed when it is ready. Do not be worried if it takes extra time – especially with a static oven. It can take longer. If it is getting a little dark, cover the top with foil and turn down the oven. Check it every 10 minutes or so until it is ready.
• Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the tin.