Orange Spiced Rye Honey Cake Food

HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, and line the bottom and sides with buttered parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, stir to combine hot water and honey. Add salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder; stir to dissolve. Add rum, fennel seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, and crystallized ginger; stir to combine. Gradually add rye flour, and mix well; gradually add all-purpose flour, and continue stirring. Add orange zest, raisins, and almonds, stirring for about 25 strokes to fully combine.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until deep brown and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 80 minutes.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Remove cake from pan, turn it on its side, and remove the parchment paper. When cake is completely cool, wrap in aluminum foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 days to allow the flavor to develop.
• Cut cake into 1/2-inch slices, and cut each slice in half. To serve, spread with unsalted butter, top with warm applesauce, and drizzle with honey.

ORANGE HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Coat with nonstick spray or grease two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.
• Line the bottom of each pan with a small piece of wax paper cut to fit; then spray or grease the paper.
• Set the pans aside.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Put the hot water into a 2-cup measuring cup or a small bowl.
• Add the instant coffee granules, and stir until they are dissolved.
• Stir in the orange juice concentrate to cool the coffee.
• Set aside.
• Measure out the cinnamon, allspice, salt, baking powder and baking soda, and place in a small custard cup or on a piece of wax paper.
• Set aside.
• Measure the flour by spooning it into the proper-size measuring cups, and leveling off the top.
• After measuring the flour, sift it onto a large piece of wax paper or into an extra bowl.
• (Sifting is necessary as tiny lumps may not beat out during the mixing process and will appear in the finished cake.) Put the eggs, oil, sugar, and honey into a large mixer bowl.
• With an electric mixer at medium speed, beat them together until completely combined, about 2 minutes.
• Add the spice mixture, and beat until combined.
• Beat in about a third of the flour, then a third of the orange-coffee mixture, repeating twice until all the ingredients are added.
• Beat on low speed until the flour is completely mixed in, scraping the bowl if necessary.
• Then beat the batter on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until it is very smooth.
• The batter will be thin.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly.
• Bake the cakes at 325 degrees for about 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out completely clean (test both cakes).
• If there is a wet spot in the center of the top of a cake, bake it a few minutes longer.
• Remove the cakes from the oven, and let them cool for 1 hour in their pans on a wire rack.
• The sides of the cakes should shrink away from the pans a little.
• Run a knife around the sides of each cake to loosen it; then turn the cake out of its pan, and peel the wax paper from the bottom.
• Invert the cakes so the tops are facing upward.
• Cool the cakes completely on the wire rack.
• Wrap the cooled cakes well for storage (use sturdy plastic wrap and/or heavy-duty foil).
• If the wrapped cakes are allowed to “mellow” overnight, their taste and texture will improve, and they will be easier to slice (a serrated bread knife works best).
• The tightly wrapped loaves can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 days, or they may be frozen for several months.
• (Defrost, wrapped, at room temperature, before slicing and serving.) To serve, cut each loaf crosswise into slices, and arrange the slices, slightly overlapping, on a tray or platter.

MAJESTIC AND MOIST NEW YEAR'S HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the pan(s). For tube and angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper. For gift honey cakes, I use "cake collars" (available from Sweet Celebrations) designed to fit a specific loaf pan. These give the cakes an appealing, professional look.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Make a well in the center and add the oil, honey, sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee, orange juice, and rye or whisky.
• Using a strong wire whisk or an electric mixer on slow speed, combine the ingredients well to make a thick batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s) and sprinkle the top of the cake(s) evenly with the almonds. Place the cake pan(s) on 2 baking sheets stacked together and bake until the cake springs back when you touch it gently in the center. For angel and tube cake pans, bake for 60 to 70 minutes; loaf cakes, 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet-style cakes, the baking time is 40 to 45 minutes. This is a liquidy batter and, depending on your oven, it may need extra time. Cake should spring back when gently pressed.
• Let the cake stand for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.