Welsh Honey Cake Question

[BettyR]

I found this recipe for a honey cake; my husband and son love honey cakes but they hate the meringue on top and always scrape it off.

My question is - what would happen if I folded the meringue into the cake instead of putting it on top of the cake?
Betty


Welsh Honey Cake

225g (8oz) Plain White Flour
110g (4oz) Runny Honey
110g (4oz) Butter
110g (4oz) Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs (seperated)
1 tbsp Runny Honey
1 tbsp Milk
1½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Baking Powder

Pre-heat oven to 200°C: 400°F: Gas 6.

1. Sieve the flour, cinnamon and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. Cream the butter with 3 oz sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the egg yolks, then the 110g (4oz) honey.
4. Fold in the flour mixture, adding milk if the mixture appears too dry.
5. Pour into a well greased cake tin slightly mounding in the centre. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
6. Allow the cake rest for 2-3 minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack.
7. Allow it cool for 10 minutes then gently place on to a baking tray and brush the top with 1 tablespoon warmed honey.
8. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and then beat in the remaining caster sugar..
9. Spread spread the meringue on top of the cake.
10. Reduce the oven to 170°C: 325°F: Gas 3. Bake for around 20 minutes or until the meringue is firm and light golden on the peaks.
Serve cold.

[Austin_]

It would taste like a honey souffle. Which wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

[BettyR]

Originally Posted by Austin_

It would taste like a honey souffle. Which wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

Do you really think it would puff up that much?
Betty

[Austin_]

Probably not, xP. But it would be worth a try. I guess it depends on the other components as well. I just heard that a souffle was a dessert made from merigune and other basic ingredients like flour, etc. etc. I'm not betting my life on it- but if it tastes even somewhat like a souffle- then let me know. . If not, it's still going to taste delicious- I guarantee that. Or it may be kind of like half souffle, half honey cake. I'm not sure, baking is a mysterious thing. I would give it a try and tell us how it turns out. One time I made a lemon souffle with a homemade lemon meriunge pie filling, and it tasted delicious. If you enjoy souffles, find a recipe on the internet to know how much meriunge to add to the cake (or souffle) batter.

[BettyR]

I've re-written the recipe a little and I'm going to try it like this and see what happens. I'll let you know how it comes out.
Betty

♥Welsh Honey Cake♥

225g (8oz) Plain White Flour
1-1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
110g (4oz) Honey (1/3 cup)
110g (4oz) Butter (1-stick)
110g (4oz) Sugar (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
2 Large Eggs (separated)
1 tbsp Milk

Pre-heat oven to 350°

1. Sieve the flour, cinnamon and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. Cream the butter with 1/2 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the egg yolks, then the 110g (4oz) honey.
4. Fold in the flour mixture, adding milk if the mixture appears too dry.
5. Beat the egg whites until light peaks form, then beat in 2 tablespoons of sugar one tablespoon at a time.
6. Fold the egg whites into the batter.
7. Pour into a well greased and floured bunt pan.
8. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (I'll adjust this as needed)

[Austin_]

Okay. I'm not really a good baker, but I've heard several times that a souffle was made from merignue as well as the dry ingredients. If it doesn't taste like a souffle, it will guaranteed to still taste delicious, and maybe you'll create something new along the way. Maybe something like a souffle cake. The recipe looks delicious- I'm interested in how it will turn out!

[BettyR]

I've got the cake stirred up and sitting in the pan; I forgot to preheat my oven so I'm waiting for it to heat up. I need to wait until the cake is baked to make any summaries of the recipe, but I'm thinking that a couple more eggs and a bit of sour cream would be good here. But I'll wait and see how this version turns out; I'll let you know.
Betty

[BettyR]

This cake is very good! It makes a very small cake and it would probably be better to cook it in a loaf pan. It reminds me of good quality ginger bread except it didn’t have any ginger in it. But with the addition of a little ginger it would be perfect.

I really like this cake and I think I’m going to play around with it a little and see what I can come up with. Thank you for your help.
Betty

[Austin_]

Your welcome. However, if you ever do come up with a recipe for a honey souffle, let me know. . Was it lighter? Or fluffier?

[BettyR]

It is lighter and fluffier than a regular Honey Cake and I'm guessing that it would be lighter and fluffier than this original recipe but without ever tasting it I really couldn't say for sure.

I’m guessing that the chances of me coming up with a recipe for a honey soufflé is somewhere between slim and non.

I’ve never made a soufflé in my life. I’ve eaten them but have never made one. I plan to make one someday; I watched Alton Brown make one on TV and it doesn’t really look too hard; but I don't have a soufflé dish. I look at them in the store from time to time but so far I haven’t taken the plunge and purchased one. They seem to be really over-priced for a plain round dish; I have way too much Scotch-Irish in me to pay full price for something that frivolous.
Betty

[qahtan]

This cake is very good, and even better if wrapped and kept a few days... qahtan

JEWISH HONEY CAKE -- REVISED
2-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs separated
1 cup honey (I used Tupelo Honey )
1 cup coffee
Grease and flour two 8" disposable foil pans
Mix and sift dry ingredients.
Beat egg whites in small bowl until stiff.
Blend oil, sugar and egg yolks together. Add honey. Add dry ingredients alternately with coffee. Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake in 350 degree oven 55-65 minutes - longer baking may be necessary.
YIELD: 8-10 servings [?]
SOURCE: from The New York Times probably in the 1940's
CATEGORY: Cakes > Honey & Molasses

[BettyR]

Qahtan,
That cake looks really big! Is all that just one recipe?
Betty

[qahtan]

Yep, just one recipe. You could always divide into 2 pans, use one and wrap and save the other one.... :-))) qahtan

[BettyR]

It looks really good; when the one I just made is gone I'm going to give this one a try.

I'm a huge coffee freak, I like the coffee in this recipe, can you taste it at all?

[qahtan]

No, I can't say you can taste it, ;-))) I do tend to put coffee in several of my recipes, ;-)) Date cake for instance I put coffee in that, but you can't taste it as coffee, it gives it just that extra zip ;-)))...... qahtan