Honey Cake

It is tradition on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (October 4th and 5th in 2005), to eat honey cake and honey-dipped fruit as an intention for a sweet year to come. Though I am not Jewish, I love the idea of eating symbolic foods on special days. The Chinese do this too on their new year in the spring--eating long noodles to have a long life, and other symbolic foods.

This honey cake topped with seasonal carmelized pears was inspired by a cake that appeared in Martha Stewart Living magazine. Like most honey cake recipes, it contained refined white sugar in addition to the honey. This version is sweeted with honey and date sugar only.

This honey cake would be delicious any time of year. It is very light, sweet and flavorful. When I was looking for a honey cake recipe for my wedding cake, I tried and rejected quite a few. This one is definately the best.

makes one six-inch cake

HONEY CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

7/8 cup unbleached flour
3/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1/4 cup date sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flavorful honey
1/4 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter (cooled)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter a six-inch springform pan and dust with flour. Place it on a piece of foil and wrap the foil up around the edges to prevent any drips from the pan.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside.
4. Mix egg and date sugar on high speed in an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, or until pale and thick.
5. In another bowl, whisk together honey, milk, butter and zest.
6. With the mixer set on low, add honey mixture to egg mixture and mix until combined.
7. Add half the flour mixture and mix until smooth, then mix in the other half.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
9. Bake about 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and remove the sides of the pan.
11. Transfer to a platter and top with caramelized pears. Serve with whipped cream.

CARAMELIZED PEARS

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar (such as Sucanat or Rapadura)
3/4 pound pears, cut into wedges or chunks
2 tablespoons flavorful honey

1. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
2. Add sugar and stir until it is almost dissolved.
3. Add pears and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and golden, about 15 minutes.
4. Add honey and cook, stirring constantly, until pears are coated and very soft, about another 3 to 5 minutes.

Other suggested toppings:
Cream Cheese or Mascarpone Frosting (sweetened with honey)
German Chocolate Cake Topping