Our Favorite Honey Cake

Our Favorite Honey CakeWe found this recipe on the wonderful Smitten Kitchen blog. And, with it is a funny story of skitting critters, Hollywood thriller screams, and fallen honey cakes, the post is well worth a bookmark—it is a good read.

Our Favorite Honey Cake
Adapted from Marcy Goldman’s Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup rye or whiskey
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)

Directions
Fits in three loaf pans, two 9-inch square or round cake pans, one 9 or 10-inch tube or bundt cake pan, or one 9 by 13-inch sheet cake. You can also use two full-size loaf pans plus two miniature ones.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease the pan(s) with non-stick cooking spray. For tube or angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper that has been cut to fit.

Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Make a well in the center, and add oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee or tea, orange juice, and rye or whiskey, if using. (If you measure your oil before the honey, it will be easier to get all of the honey out.)

Using a strong wire whisk or in an electric mixer on slow speed, stir together well to make a thick, well-blended batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom.

Bake the cake
Spoon batter into the prepared pan(s). Sprinkle top of the cake(s) evenly with almonds. Place the cake pan(s) on two baking sheets, stacked together. (This will ensure the cakes bake evenly,)

Bake until the cake springs back when you gently touch the cake center. For angel and tube cake pans, this will take about 60 to 75 minutes, for loaf cakes, about 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet style cakes, the baking time is about 40 to 45 minutes.

Allow the cake stand for fifteen minutes before removing from pan.

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