Honey Cake With Honeyed Almond Crunch Food

ALMOND HONEYCOMB CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Thoroughly butter a 12 1/4-by-11 2/3-inch honeycomb pull-apart dessert pan, making sure to cover all the detailed nooks and crannies. Lightly dust the pan with all-purpose flour (sifting the flour over the top of the pan works best; tap out excess).
• Beat the butter, salt and 1 3/4 cups of the sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, scraping down the sides as needed, until well combined (the butter does not need to be fluffy), about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until incorporated (the mixture will first appear loose and broken, but will eventually come together). Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and beat into the butter mixture; reserve the pod for another use.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the almond flour until combined. Add the all-purpose flour and beat on low until combined. Add the whiskey and beat on low until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Tap the pan firmly on the counter a few times to force batter into the edges of the pan.
• Bake the cake until golden brown, the edges begin to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center and edges of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate; carefully remove the pan and very lightly brush away any excess flour from the top of the cake.
• Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to peel wide strips from half of the orange (about 6 strips).
• Boil the cardamom pods in 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat until most of the water has evaporated and the mixture is very fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the honey and the orange peels. Let sit for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve into a small glass measuring cup; discard the solids. The mixture should be very thin and slightly warm; gently re-heat if necessary. Slowly drizzle the mixture over the warm cake, allowing the cake to soak up the honey before adding more. Let the cake cool, about 1 hour.
• Just before serving, heat the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup honey until combined, then remove from the heat and drizzle over the top of cake, allowing the honey to slowly drip over the sides and into each honeycomb.

FLOURLESS ALMOND-HONEY CAKE WITH CANDIED LEMON

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Brush the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment. Brush the parchment with more olive oil and dust with almond flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk the almond flour, potato starch and salt in a medium bowl. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup honey, the lemon zest, 4 egg yolks, vanilla and almond extracts, and the olive oil in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the almond flour mixture until just incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, beat the 6 egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until stiff glossy peaks form, about 3 more minutes. Gently fold about one-third of the beaten egg whites into the batter, then fold in the rest until just incorporated (it's OK if some white streaks remain). Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden and springs back when lightly pressed, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. (Don't worry if the cake falls slightly in the center.)
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Place the lemon slices in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer over high heat, about 3 minutes; drain and return to the pan. Cover with fresh water; bring to a simmer and drain. Repeat one more time with fresh water. Return to the saucepan and add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup honey, the lemon juice and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lemon slices are tender and the liquid is syrupy, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake, then remove the springform ring. Use a spatula to transfer the cake to a serving plate (remove the parchment). Remove the candied lemon slices from the syrup with a fork. Brush the cake all over with some of the lemon-honey syrup, then top with the candied lemon, almonds and pomegranate seeds. Serve with the remaining syrup on the side.

HONEY-APPLE-ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Make the frosting: Whisk the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) until the mixture is warm and the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes. Beat in the almond extract, then beat in the butter a few pieces at a time. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (Don't worry if the mixture looks separated at first; keep beating and it will come together.)
• Assemble the cake: Bring the honey and 2 tablespoons water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; let cool slightly. Place 1 cake layer on a platter; brush with half of the honey mixture and spread the apple butter on top, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge. Top with the second cake layer and press down gently; brush with the remaining honey mixture. Cover the whole cake with the frosting and top with sliced almonds.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.)
• Mix 1/2 cup water with the cream in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and the centers spring back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

HONEY ALMOND CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Thickly butter a 6-cup loaf pan. Pour in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter, swirl to coat the bottom, and sprinkle in 1/4-cup of the brown sugar. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the honey and sprinkle the almonds evenly over the bottom.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the remaining 3/4-cup brown sugar and mix. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 cup honey and mix. Gradually mix in the buttermilk.
• In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Working in batches, and mixing after each addition, add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture. Mix until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out dry and almost clean (a few crumbs are okay) 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool until the topping is firm.

ALMOND CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE: Sift together flour and 3/4 c sugar.
• Make a well in the center, add egg yolks, water, lemon juice, vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt just until soft peaks form.
• Add remaining sugar, 2 T at a time, continuing to beat until stiff.
• Fold flour mixture gently into egg whites.
• Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
• Cut carefully through the batter, going around tube 5 or 6 times with a knife to break air bubbles.
• Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
• Invert pan 1 hour or until cool.
• Remove cake and split into 4 equal layers.
• ALMOND BRITTLE TOPPING: Combine sugar, coffee, syrup, and water in a saucepan, stirring well.
• Cook to hard crack stage, 290 degrees, remove from heat and add soda.
• Stir vigorously until mixture blends and pulls away from sides of pan.
• Quickly pour into an ungreased shallow baking pan.
• Let stand until cool.
• Knock out of pan and crush candy with a rolling pin into small chunks.
• Whip cream and fold in sugar and vanilla.
• Spread half of cream between layers and remainder over top and sides.
• Cover top and sides with candy, lightly pressing into cream.
• Decorate with almonds.
• Do not press candy and almonds into cream more than 6 hours before serving.
• Refrigerate.

HAZELNUT CRUNCH CAKE WITH HONEYED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• For nut crunch:
• Line baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally. Mix in nuts. Pour onto foil; cool completely. Coarsely chop nut crunch. Set aside.
• For kumquats:
• Starting at rounded end, cut cross into each kumquat to within 1/4 inch of stem end. Bring wine, sugar, honey, and star anise to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Add kumquats; simmer until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer kumquats to plate; cool. Seed and finely chop enough kumquats to measure 2/3 cup (reserve remaining kumquats). Gently boil kumquat syrup until reduced to 11/4 cups, about 12 minutes. Cool.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch or 17 x 11 x 3/4-inch baking sheet with foil; butter and flour foil. Finely grind nuts with flour in processor; transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, spice, and salt. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in yolks and extracts. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with milk in several additions, just until combined. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes for 17 x 11-inch cake and 28 minutes for 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch cake. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around cake to loosen. Turn cake out onto foil-lined rack; cool completely. Cut hazelnut cake crosswise into 3 equal pieces.
• For frosting:
• Combine all ingredients in large bowl; beat to soft peaks (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).
• Place 1 cake piece on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over; sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped kumquats and 1/3 cup nut crunch, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons kumquat syrup. Top with second cake piece. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over; sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped kumquats and 1/3 cup nut crunch, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons kumquat syrup. Top with third cake piece. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Drain remaining kumquats; remove seeds and any attached pulp. Top cake with kumquats, arranging like flowers. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill cake. Store remaining nut crunch and kumquat syrup at room temperature. Press remaining nut crunch around sides of cake. Drizzle 2 tablespoons syrup over cake and serve.