Italian Honey Cake

A dense, amber crumb exhaling the scent of warm honey and lemon. The texture is supple, almost moist, with the crunch of pine nuts on the surface.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 40 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 478
• Protein: 9 g
• Carbs: 63 g
• Fat: 21 g

Ingredients

• 166.7 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 100 g Honey ( liquid )
• 2 piece Egg ( whole )
• 66.7 g Minimum butter sweet ( cubed )
• 33.3 g White sugar ( granulated )
• 66.7 ml Whole milk ( room temperature )
• 7.3 g Baking powder ( powder )
• 0.7 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( finely zested )
• 20 g Pine nut ( whole )
• 0.7 tsp Cinnamon powder ( ground )
• 0.7 pinch Gray sea salt ( fine )

Instructions

1. Butter and honey fusion

   Melt the butter with the honey in a small saucepan over very low heat. The mixture should be fluid and homogeneous, without ever reaching a boil.

2. Egg mixture

   In a mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs and white sugar until the mixture whitens and triples in volume. It should form a ribbon when the whisk is lifted.

3. Dry ingredients incorporation

   Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold them into the eggs using a spatula, lifting the mass to preserve the air.

4. Final binding

   Pour the whole milk and the lukewarm butter-honey mixture in a steady stream over the batter. Add the lemon zest. Mix gently until the batter is smooth and shiny.

5. Baking and finishing

   Pour into a buttered mold. Scatter the pine nuts on top. Bake at 170°C for 40 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and a knife blade should come out clean.

Chef's tips

• Do not overwork the batter after adding the flour to prevent it from becoming elastic.
• Use chestnut honey for a bolder taste or acacia honey for more sweetness.

Storage

Wrap the cake in a clean cloth or plastic wrap; it stays moist for 3 to 4 days thanks to the hydrating power of honey.