Honey Cardamom Snack Cake

In most of the Iyengar bakeries in Bangalore, Mysore area, they sell a cake called 'Honey Cake'. It is oozing with syrup and topped with some coconut flakes. That cake is to die for. Till I started baking, I used to think it is a real honey cake. But it is actually sponge cake douched with honey flavored simple syrup. I didn't attempt to make that cake but made a honey cake using an old ginger bread cake recipe. I changed so many things, I cannot even say I adapted this from that recipe.

If you are in Mysore or Bangalore area and you are alright to eat out, do eat this cake in an Iyengar bakery. I cannot guarantee how good their stuff is but, if a bakery is good, there is a good chance that you get a decent honey cake.

One Year back - Baklava
Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Baking soda - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Cardamom - 7 pods seeds crushed into powder
Sugar - 1/2 cup (See Notes)
Honey - 1 cup
Butter - 1 stick or 1/2 cup softened (See Notes)
Eggs - 2 large at room temperature
Warm water - 1 cup

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom powder in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar till creamy. Add honey and continue to beat. Add the eggs and continue to beat. Add dry mix to the butter and egg mixture in three parts alternating with the warm water. That is 1/3 of the dry mixture, 1/2 cup of water, 1/3 of the dry mixture, 1/2 cup of water and the remaining 1/3 of the dry mixture. You might want to use just the spatula to fold gently towards the end of mixing. Batter will be very thin. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or till done. It took 38 minutes for mine to be done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Notes:
It is pretty sweet and everyone felt that it could use a bit less sugar. So, I would suggest using no sugar at all or using just 1/4 cup. When I saw the way creamed butter and sugar felt once I added honey, I could see that this cake would just be great with oil instead of butter. Use just 1/3 cup of canola or vegetable oil in the place of butter. If you do omit sugar and / or use oil instead of butter, this cake might bake up a few minutes earlier. Check at 30 minutes.

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