Prep: 25 minutes plus 15 minutes cooling time

Cook: 40-50 minutes

Serves: 8-10

A different take on honey cake, this recipe (which can be made milky or parev) caramelises the honey for rich toffee notes, while black pepper adds a gentle warmth that perfectly balances its sweetness. To crack black pepper either grind it coarsely in a pepper grinder or crush it into coarse, uneven pieces in a pestle and mortar.

Method

Place the honey in a light-coloured saucepan over a medium heat. Allow it to bubble gently for 3-5 minutes, without stirring, until it turns a deep amber and smells lightly caramelised. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in 2 tablespoons of hot water. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin or 1kg loaf tin.
Beat the butter and sugar together for 4-5 minutes until very pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture begins to curdle. Stir in the yoghurt, vanilla and cooled caramelised honey.
Whisk together the self-raising flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, black pepper and cinnamon. Fold gently into the wet ingredients using a large metal spoon or spatula until just combined. Avoid over-mixing.
Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave the cake in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Warm the 2 tablespoons of honey and brush over the warm cake. Finish with a light scattering of cracked black pepper and flaky sea salt.

denises_kitchen / jewishcookery

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Ingredients

Name: Caramelised honey and black pepper cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 8-10
Ingredients: For the cake; 175g clear honey; 150g unsalted butter or non-dairy baking block, softened; 125g light brown soft sugar; 3 medium eggs, at room temperature; 180ml full-fat Greek yoghurt or non-dairy Greek yoghurt; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 275g self-raising flour; ½ tsp baking powder; ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda; ½ tsp fine sea salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp ground cinnamon To serve:; 2 tbsp clear honey, freshly cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt

For the cake
175g clear honey
150g unsalted butter or non-dairy baking block, softened
125g light brown soft sugar
3 medium eggs, at room temperature
180ml full-fat Greek yoghurt or non-dairy Greek yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
275g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon

To serve:
2 tbsp clear honey, freshly cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt