Honey Cake
The Greeks were very fond of honey, and believed that they would have a longer, healthier life if they ate it; the Romans, too, ate honey cake. By the 18th century it was popular in Britain, where it was made in different regions using the local honey.
Ingredients
- 8 floz clear honey plus 3 tbsp
- 3 oz butter
- 12 oz plain wholemeal flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 oz glace cherries halved
- 2 oz chopped mixed peel
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbsp fresh milk
- grated rind of 1 large lemon
- 1 oz flaked almonds
Instructions
- Grease a 20.5 cm (8 inch) square cake tin and line the base and sides with greaseproof paper.
- Pour 225 ml (8 fl oz) honey into a saucepan, add the butter and heat gently, stirring, until blended.
- Sift the flour, salt, spice and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl, stirring in any bran left in the sieve. Add the cherries and peel.
- Beat the eggs and the milk together and stir into the honey mixture with the lemon rind. Pour gradually on to the dry ingredients, beating well after each addition, until well blended.
- Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake at 170°C (325°F) mark 3 for about 1 1/4 hours, until the cake is firm to the touch or a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out
- clean.
- Using a skewer, prick the top of the cake and spoon over the remaining honey. Turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack. Do not remove the lining paper until the cake is cold.
Calories: 192 kcal
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 42 mg
Sodium: 120 mg
Potassium: 118 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 14 g
Vitamin A: 186 IU
Vitamin C: 1 mg
Calcium: 24 mg
Iron: 1 mg