HONEY CAKE – Ukraine

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp cloves, ground
1/4 tsp allspice, ground
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chopped nuts (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)

Method:

  1. Beat eggs and sugar until thick.
  2. Add vegetable oil, honey, and sour cream.
  3. Beat well.
  4. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.
  5. Gradually mix it into the liquids.
  6. Add vanilla, and mix well.
  7. Grease and flour two loaf pans, or a 9 x 13 sheet cake pan (I use the sheet cake pan).
  8. Preheat oven to  350 F.
  9. Pour batter into the pans. Sprinkle nuts over top (optional).
  10. Bake on the middle oven rack for 40-50 minutes.
  11. Remove from the oven, and cool in pans for 10 minutes.
  12. Remove from pans onto wire rack, and cool completely.
  13. Cut to serving pieces and sprinkle with powdered sugar, or If you decide to make it into a torte, this is the time to cut it into layers, and spread you favorite filling.
  14. Wrap the torte in foil, or saran wrap, and keep it refrigerated, until ready to serve.
  15. Honey cakes also freeze very well, but you need to wrap it in paper towel, then foil, then freezer plastic bag. Thaw in the fridge a day before serving, all wrapped, to preserve moisture.