Honey Cake

Bees and honey hold a dear place in my life. Perhaps one of the oldest foods we have eaten, honey consumption dates back to the hunter-gatherer tribes predating cooking and crop growing. Honey cakes are simple, rich and sublime. Their flavor changes based on the flowers the bees worked in. They are eaten throughout the world. I like to make this cake in the spring, around Clara or I’s birthday and Easter. Check out my blog on Bees & Honey here.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup honey - warm honey jar in water to make the honey more workable in colder months

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

• 2 cups flour

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

So many options -

• Add 1 tsp of cinnamon and nutmeg for a little warming spice.

• Top with your favorite chopped nuts and an extra drizzle of honey. Almonds, pistachio, or walnuts are favorites.

• Serve with fresh fruits in season or warming fruit compotes in the cooler months.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9-in. cast-iron skillet.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and honey until blended. Add eggs, and beat well. Beat in yogurt and vanilla or almond extract.

3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and combine well. Pour into prepared skillet.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Food Energetics

Sweet and rich, honey cakes nourish Yin, and influence the Earth element. Like all sweets, a little goes a long way.