When the temperature drops and the leaves fall, autumn’s produce practically begs me to get into the kitchen for some cosy baking. The scent of warm comforting spices and the hum of the oven with a cake or two inside feels like a primordial call to hunker down for the season. And that is an invitation I can’t resist.
This recipe makes two apple-topped honey cakes, good enough on their own with a dollop of cream, but sandwich them together with a toffee-like icing for a more celebratory offering. “Burning” the honey caramelises it so the flavour is more complex – nutty, with a hint of bitterness to offset the sweetness.
Serves 8-10
runny honey 300g
unsalted butter 175g, cut into large cubes
lemon finely grated zest of 1 large
fresh ginger 30g, finely chopped or grated
sunflower oil 175ml
soft light brown sugar 150g
full-fat plain Greek yoghurt 200g
plain flour 400g
cinnamon 2 tsp
baking powder 1½ tsp
baking soda ¼ tsp
salt ½ tsp
eggs 3 large
For the apple topping
apples 4, peeled, quartered and cored, then cut lengthwise into thin slices (about 3mm)
caster sugar 4 tbsp
brandy 2 tbsp (or lemon juice)
For the cream cheese icing
unsalted butter 100g, at room temperature
light brown sugar 100g
runny honey 40g
cream cheese 200g, remove from fridge an hour before
Preheat the oven to 170C fan/gas mark 5. Grease and line the bottom and sides of 2 x 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.
Put the honey in a large saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan regularly until it comes to a simmer, then cook until the honey begins to caramelise and turn a shade or two darker – about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the butter. Whisk lightly until melted, then add the lemon zest, ginger, oil, brown sugar and yoghurt. Whisk gently until combined, then set aside to let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
Sift the flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
Prepare the apple topping by combining the apples, sugar and brandy in a medium bowl. Toss gently then set aside.
Returning back to the burnt honey mixture, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking gently to incorporate after each addition. Now, in three batches, add the dry ingredients into the honey mixture, folding lightly with the whisk with each addition until fully incorporated, then divide the batter equally into the prepared tins.
Strain the apples and reserve the liquid (this will be reduced to form a syrup to glaze the cake after baking).
For one of the cakes (which will be the top layer) arrange the sliced apples on the top, overlapping the slices both lengthwise and widthwise, in concentric circles. The cake will expand as it bakes, so make sure the slices are well-overlapped (for example, half the width of each one) to ensure full coverage of the top when the cake is baked.
For the second cake, layer the apples similarly, though you needn’t be too careful as the apples will be in the middle of the cake. Place the cakes in the oven and bake for about 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes come out clean. Remove from oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, place the reserved brandy/apple juice in a small saucepan on medium heat. Swirl the pan until it comes to a boil, then simmer for about 2 minutes (depending on the size of your pan) until it is a straw-coloured syrup. Using a pastry brush, gently dab the syrup over the apples on the cake that will form the top layer.
When the cakes are cooled and ready to be assembled, make the icing. Place the butter, sugar and honey in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on medium-high speed until lightened (about 2 minutes), then add the cream cheese, a quarter at a time and continue to beat for about 2 minutes, until thick, light and smooth.
Remove the cooled cakes from the tins and place the bottom layer of the cake (with the roughly arranged apples) on a serving plate, apple-side up. Using a spatula, spread some icing thickly over the top of apples, coming right to the edges, then stack the second cake on top, apple side up. Apply icing all around the sides of the cake (leaving the top un-iced) and smooth out with the long, thin edge of the spatula.
Helen Goh is a recipe developer and co-author of Sweet (Ebury, £27)
