Honey Marmalade Cake

Recipe courtesy of Bakepedia The Baker's Resource® - www.bakepedia.com

This cake is about taste as much as it is about looks. The first thing you will notice is the striking beehive shape, created with the Nordicware Beehive Pan. The cake features honey and orange marmalade, which both create a very moist cake, and black tea is used as the liquid providing an elusive, sophisticated background flavor. Take care with your pan prep so that the beehive shape is at its best.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup flavorless oil, such as canola or vegetable
• 1 cup honey, such as clover or orange blossom
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¾ cup strong brewed black tea, cooled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Filling:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice

Honey Glaze:

• 1 ½ cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 to 3 tablespoons whole milk

For the Cake:

1. Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat the insides of the pan thoroughly with a thin layer of vegetable shortening, then coat lightly with flour, tapping out any excess. Make sure to get every nook and cranny.
2. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl and whisk to aerate and combine.
3. In another bowl, whisk together oil, honey, and marmalade. Whisk in sugar, then eggs one at a time, whisking each one until it is absorbed. Whisk in tea and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold with a large rubber spatula just until combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs clinging. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack, then unmold onto a rack to cool completely.

For the Filling:

Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add about half the sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Add the remaining sugar and enough orange juice to create a thick, smooth frosting. It should be fairly thick but spreadable. The frosting is now ready to use.

For the Glaze:

Whisk the confectioners' sugar, honey, and half the milk together in a bowl. Only add as much milk as is needed to create a thick but flowable glaze. The glaze is now ready to use.

For the Assembly:

Trim the cake halves if necessary. You will be able to see if any cake rose up and over the borders of the pan. Simply trim those pieces away and enjoy with a nice steaming hot cup of tea. Spread the buttercream on one cake half and press the other half against it firmly to help it adhere. Stand the cake upright on your presentation plate. Drizzle the honey glaze over the seams. Also pour it into a small puddle right on top of the cake so it will drip down here and there decoratively (see picture). The cake is ready to serve and is best served the same day.