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Honey Lemon Cake
This incredibly moist and tender cake marries honey and lemon in perfect harmony. Neither flavor overpowers the other, but each is distinct in every bite. It's the ideal cake to enjoy alongside a cup of tea, hot or iced.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup Meyer Lemon Honey, or your favorite honey
- grated rind (zest) of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
Glaze
- 1/4 cup Meyer lemon honey, or your favorite honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a honeycomb pan or 9" round cake pan.
- To make the batter: Weigh the flours, or measure them by gently spooning them into a measuring cup and sweeping off the excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute or two and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Beat in the honey, zest, and extracts.
- Stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk or yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan; if you're baking in the honeycomb pan, we recommend tapping the pan firmly on the counter to help eliminate any air bubbles at the bottom.
- Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until it’s a deep golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack.
- To make the glaze: Combine the honey, butter, and lemon juice in a microwave-safe bowl or in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Heat until the butter is melted and stir until smooth.
- Brush the glaze onto the warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting.
- Store leftover cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.
Tips from our bakers
- To make individual cakes using a beehive cakelette pan, prepare the batter as instructed and scoop it into the pan's lightly greased wells using a heaping 1/3 cup of batter per well; a heaped scone and muffin scoop works well here. Firmly tap the pan on the counter to help eliminate any air bubbles at the bottom of the cakes. Set the remaining batter aside to bake in a second batch. Bake the cakes for 18 to 22 minutes, until they’re golden and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven, allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack. Repeat with the remaining batter. Makes 1 dozen mini cakes.
