Gussie’s Honey CAKE

(from kylerhea’s recipe box)

This recipe comes from Augusta Stein, my stepson’s grandmother. She was known for her baking, especially this honey cake. The recipe is classic in its use of coffee, citrus zest, and nuts. I have made one change, substituting apple sauce for oil, which makes the cake less sticky. This cake keeps at room temperature for several weeks, so you can always have a homemade treat on hand.
Fast Fact: Buckwheat honey comes from the same plant as the grain also called kasha. It has a unique, robust flavor that is also less sweet than other kinds of honey. Natural food stores like Wild Oats Market are likely to have it.
Quick Tip: If you like, use lemon in place of orange zest, and blanched almonds rather than walnuts.

Source: Wildberries - link from this page

Serves 2 people

Categories: CAKES, DESSERTS, NT

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 2 tablespoons Scotch whiskey or orange juice
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat or wildflower honey
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup black coffee
  • 1 teaspoon grated zest from the orange
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Coat two 6-cup loaf pans with cooking spray.

  2. In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the whiskey for 20 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using a hand-held beater. When the mixture is foamy, add the honey, applesauce, orange juice, zest, and coffee and mix until well blended.

  4. Add the honey mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing just until they are blended. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

  5. Bake the cakes for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Do not worry if the loaves are very brown on the outside.

  6. Set the pans on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the cakes and cool them completely on the rack. Wrap them tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for 3 to 4 days before serving to allow the flavors to mellow.

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