Honey Cake, anyone? My post today is all about making this beauty of a cake at home. Here’s presenting a simple Eggless Honey Cake recipe!
What is Honey Cake?
If you have lived in Bangalore and explored the city’s food scene even a wee bit, I am sure you know about Honey Cake. From what I have learned and understood, honey cakes are a part of several different cultures around the globe. Here, I’m talking about the Bangalore version, a rustic cake that, as the name suggests, is drenched in sweet honey syrup. The top of the cake has a thick glaze made with mixed fruit jam, and a garnish of dessicated coconut. The overall effect is stunning. The moistness the syrup offers the cake, the flavours of the dry coconut and the jam together make it absolutely irresistible.
Honey Cake is a specialty of the Iyengar Bakery outlets that dot Bangalore city. Many of these bakeries started out, years and years ago, as specialists in eggless baking (keeping in mind the requirements of their completely vegetarian clientele). Some do have eggy confections on their shelves, in the present times, while some have remained true to their roots. Delicious jam-glazed honey cakes are one goodie these Iyengar bakeries are credited with inventing, along with Masala Bread and Vegetable Toast. Iyengar bakeries are an integral part of the culture of Bangalore till date, as are their honey cakes. The husband and I are big fans of the delectable stuff these bakeries have on offer, especially the honey cakes.
Eggless Honey Cake for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop’s 250th
I’m sure you have read my posts for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop. It is a group of talented food bloggers, who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme every Monday.
I joined the group in 2017, when they had just completed 100 successful weeks. Sabudana Vada, 3 Ways was my first-ever post for the group. Members have come and gone, but I’ve stayed associated with the group over the past three years, and it has been an absolute pleasure. Today, the group is celebrating its 250th week, no mean milestone, this! I realise how far along I have come as a food blogger, and a major share of the credit goes to the Foodie Monday Blog Hop. We’ve grown to become a close-knit bunch, discussing everything from our lives to foodie trends and photography techniques. The passion of the group for food is infectious, and I love and cherish the discussions we have. It has forced me to get out of my comfort zone, to hone my cooking skills, to think on my feet. Above all, it’s a group that feels like family. Thank you, girls, for everything!
Here’s hoping for many more such milestones for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop group! May we all create beautiful food (and memories!) for a long, long time to come. To celebrate the occasion of the 250th, all the members are baking cakes – a fitting tribute because it was this group that egged me on to shed my inhibitions about baking, and to just go ahead and start doing it. I chose this beautiful Eggless Honey Cake recipe to showcase for the day.
#CelebrateWithCake.
Eggless Honey Cake recipe
I baked this Eggless Honey Cake recently, using the recipe from Cooking From Heart, with a few variations. It turned out absolutely brilliant, tasting exactly like the honey cake we get in Iyengar bakeries. It was a huge hit with the family, and disappeared within a day of making.
Here’s how I went about making the cake.
Ingredients (makes one 6-inch cake):
For the cake:
- 1-1/2 cups refined wheat flour (maida)
- 3/4 cup sugar, powdered
- 1-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup fresh curd
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
For the honey syrup:
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
For the jam glaze:
- 2 tablespoons mixed fruit jam
- 1 teaspoon sugar
3. 2 teaspoons dessicated coconut
Method:
1. We will start by making the base cake. For this, take the curd in a large mixing bowl. Add in the sugar, and mix well until you get a smooth, hom*ogeneous mixture.
2. Add the baking powder to this mixture, along with the baking soda. Mix well.
3. Set aside the mixture for 3-4 minutes for it to become frothy.
4. In the meantime, preheat the oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes.
5. Measure out the maida in another bowl. Sift it to ensure that there are no lumps.
6. Also, grease a cake pan and keep it ready.
7. When the curd mixture becomes frothy, add in the oil and vanilla essence. Whisk together gently till combined.
8. Add the maida little by little to the curd mixture, whisking it gently, until everything is well integrated together. You should get a smooth batter. Don’t over-mix the batter, but keep it light.
9. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan, and place it in the preheated oven. Bake at 180 degrees for 30-35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
10. While the cake is baking, we will prepare the honey syrup. Take the water and sugar in a saucepan, and place on high flame. Let it come to a boil, and allow the sugar to get completely dissolved in the water. Now, switch off gas and mix in the honey to the syrup. Keep aside.
11. When the cake is done baking, prick holes all over it with a toothpick or fork. Pour the honey syrup evenly over the cake, while it is still warm.
12. Allow the cake to sit for 4-5 minutes, then invert it over a plate.
13. Now, we will prepare the jam glaze for the cake. Take the mixed fruit jam in a small pan, along with the sugar. Place on medium flame and heat till the jam liquefies and mixes with the sugar to form a paste. Don’t overcook the jam – you need to only gently heat it.
14. Spread a thick layer of this jam glaze all over the top of the inverted cake. Drizzle the dessicated coconut evenly over the glaze.
15. Allow the cake to rest till it completely cools down, by which time the jam glaze would have nicely set. You can now go ahead and slice the cake.
Tips & Tricks
1. Do not over-mix the cake batter. Just mix gently it till all the ingredients are well incorporated together.
2. Use fresh curd that is not too sour, for best results.
3. Use any odourless oil in the cake batter. I have used regular refined oil here.
4. I have used mixed fruit jam from Kissan for the glaze. You can use any other brand you prefer.
5. As per Ayurvedic principles, honey should not be heated. So, I have just heated the sugar and water together, and then mixed the honey to it. You don’t need to make a thick syrup, just make sure all the ingredients of the syrup are well incorporated together.
6. The honey syrup should be poured over the cake while it is still warm. Make sure you pour the syrup evenly all over the cake.
7. Spread the jam glaze over the cake while it is still warm, too. It will be easier to spread that way. It will set and become thick as it cools.
8. The cake slices can be stored refrigerated, in an air-tight box, for 3-4 days.
9. I didn’t have dessicated coconut at hand, so I have used grated dry coconut (kopparai) instead. I think it worked just as well.
Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!
