Orange Honey Cake
This recipe makes 16 servings
- Portion size: 16
This is medivnyk, a mellow, lightly spiced honey cake — one of the sweet endings to a Ukrainian Holy Night supper
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 1/2cupunsalted butter
- 1 cup 1cupfirmly packed brown sugar
- 4 4eggeggs, separated
- 1 cup 1cupbuckwheat honey
- 1 tsp 1tspvanilla
- 2 tbsp 2tbspcoarsely grated orange rind
- 3 cups 3cupsall purpose flour
- 1 tsp 1tspbaking powder
- 1 tsp 1tspbaking soda
- 1/2 tsp 1/2tspsalt
- 1 tsp 1tspcinnamon
- 1/4 tsp 1/4tspground clovecloves
- 1/4 tsp 1/4tspnutmeg
- 1 cup 1cupchopped walnutwalnuts
- 1/2 cup 1/2cupcold coffee, strong
- 1/2 cup 1/2cuporange juice
- Icing sugar, optional
Preparation
Cream together butter and brown sugar; beat in egg yolks, one at a time, and continue beating until batter is light. Stir in honey, vanilla and orange rind.
Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Remove 2 tbsp (25 mL) of sifted mixture and toss with walnuts; set aside.
Beat dry ingredients into creamed mixture in three parts, alternating first with coffee and then with orange juice. Stir nuts into batter just until evenly distributed.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter. Transfer to greased and floured 10-inch (4 L) tube or bundt pan and bake in 300°F (150°C) oven for 1-1/2 hours or until deep amber and firm to touch. Cool in pan on rack and, ideally, let mature for 2 days before slicing. Dust with icing sugar if desired and serve on a doily-lined cake plate or stand.
