Honey Bee Cake with Honey Caramel Drizzle

This great little cake from 1954 has a taste and texture similar to that of a rich pound cake, and is topped with a luscious caramel-y honey drizzle and toasted almonds. The cake stands beautifully on its own- it is dense, moist, and rich, and has a subtle honey flavor. The buttery honey caramel drizzle compliments and enhances the flavors of the cake, and the almonds provide a nice crunch. We really loved this cake!

Honey Bee Cake

Ingredients:
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray the paper.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk the ingredients to mix well.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, honey, and vanilla on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to high and beat until very light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl frequently with a spatula. Blend in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, adding the next one as soon as the previous one has disappeared into the batter.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts, beginning and ending with the flour. After each addition, mix until just barely blended and scrape the sides of the bowl. Fold the last of the flour in by hand with a spatula so that you don't overbeat the batter.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, and rap the pan firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Rotate the pan about halfway through baking time. The cake is done when it is firm on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake will have a few moist crumbs attached.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about an hour. Remove cake from pan, remove the parchment paper, and let it finish cooling. Serve barely warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with toasted almonds and drizzled with honey caramel.

Honey Bee Cake is delicious plain, but you may love it even more with this drizzle:

Honey Caramel Drizzle

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup natural sliced almonds, lightly toasted (for garnish)

While the cake is in the oven, you can make the drizzle. Combine the honey, brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan, bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring very frequently. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The next day it made the best strawberry shortcake!

Adapted from Julie Richardson's Vintage Cakes

We go to these fun parties~

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