I am a self-confessed cookbook collector. I love waiting for books I’ve ordered online and receiving them as gifts is a joy. One thing though - they must have pictures. Call me a child for my love of picture books but I struggle to envisage something I’ve never made before just from a list of instructions. After browsing through one of my cookbooks, Baked Explorations by Lewis and Poliafito, I had the urge to make an American-style layer cake. The many layers create a look of decadence and a simple decoration is literally the cherry on top! I find it hard to believe many people have three identical cake tins so I’ve suggested baking the cakes individually, or if you have two tins (like me) you can do two at the same time.
Honeycomb Layer Cake
Makes one 6-inch, 3-layer cake
Ingredients
for the cakes
150g unsalted butter, softened
180g light brown soft sugar
3 medium eggs
150g self-raising flour
75g plain flour
75ml milk
6 tablespoons honey
for the honeycomb
100g caster sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
for the buttercream frosting
120g unsalted butter, softened
60ml milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
480g icing sugar, sifted
Method
Make the cakes: preheat the oven to 180°C (170°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4, grease a 6” round cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper. In a bowl, beat 50g butter with 60g sugar until pale and fluffy using an electric hand mixer. Add one egg and beat well. Combine 50g self-raising flour with 25g plain and add half to the bowl, beat until smooth. Pour in 25ml of milk and two tablespoons of honey, beat once again, followed by the second half of the flour mix, beat until smooth. Transfer to the prepared tin, level the surface with a rubber spatula and make a dip in the centre. Bake for 25 minutes until golden, risen and shrinking from the sides of the tin (and an inserted skewer comes out clean). Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat these steps to make two more cakes. Alternatively, if you have two tins, combine the remaining ingredients as above (adding the eggs one at a time) then divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 35 minutes.
Make the honeycomb: line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Heat the sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over a medium heat until the sugar melts and mixtures turns the colour of honey. Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda then pour the foaming mixture onto the lined baking
sheet. Set to one side until cool and set.
Make the buttercream frosting: beat the butter with the milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the remaining icing sugar, a heaped spoonful at a time, to produce a thick and creamy mixture.
Assemble the cake: break the edges of the honeycomb into about six shards, crush 30g of the remaining honeycomb and break the rest into small pieces, set all to one side. Level the tops of the cakes (if necessary) then place one on a cake board or serving dish. Mix the crushed honeycomb with a third of the buttercream and use to sandwich the three cake layers together. Spread the top and sides of the layered cake with a thin layer of the plain frosting (like buttering bread) to prevent crumbs appearing on the surface, then cover with a thicker layer, smoothing the sides and top. Use the small pieces of honeycomb to create a border at the base of the cake and decorate the top with the shards. Enjoy!
August 29th, 2011 at 05:53
Yum yum yum yum yum!!!!
August 29th, 2011 at 06:45
This looks Fab Jae, I couldn’t agree more about pictures. Hands up to owing 3 or maybe 4 tins ekkkkkk xxx
August 29th, 2011 at 09:36
Agreed, I like my cookery books to have pictures. I’m always slightly disappointed when they don’t! That cake looks amazing. I love honeycomb so I must give this a try
August 29th, 2011 at 09:58
I own so many tins I’m not going to tell you about them. Embarrassing bakeware addiction. I want to see inside the cake! Nice post. x
August 29th, 2011 at 11:57
Thanks ya’ll. Jo I can’t believe you may have 4 identical tins! Lool. Yes Nicola honeycomb is delicious and really easy to make =] Holly I know, I’m sorry, I will defo take pictures of the inside next time!
August 29th, 2011 at 22:25
This looks delish. Might give it a try during a slow day.
September 21st, 2011 at 02:02
Let me know how it goes! =]
August 30th, 2011 at 20:44
It’s worse when they have some pictures in but none of the things you want to make!!!
September 21st, 2011 at 02:02
Or the things you’ve no idea how to bake!
August 31st, 2011 at 16:28
I was just talking earlier about the fact that I like to have a photo for recipes. I am going to start gathering together all of my recipes and if I don’t have a photo available that I will take one and store it with them. I am a visual girl
September 21st, 2011 at 02:03
Sounds like a great idea Laura!
September 18th, 2011 at 16:59
I love honeycomb so much, this cake looks goooooood.
I have 2 identical tins but whenever I bake with them, both cakes turn out very different.
Take a look for your self:
http://sugarandsliceandallthingsnice.blogspot.com/2011/09/vanilli-sponge.html
September 21st, 2011 at 02:04
I see, in that case I’d say to bake all three layers as single cakes in the same (better) tin – that should sort it out =D
November 7th, 2011 at 19:27
Hey! What a beautiful cake.. can you give me a tip?! Is making the dip in the centre of the cake batter what guarantees you get an even rise? I’ve been after a foolproof method for years now…. Do let us know your secret….!
November 8th, 2011 at 00:14
Hey Anna,
Thanks for visiting and thanks for the compliment! Yes that’s the idea, it counteracts the rising so to be speak (not 100% foolproof but the best thing I know!) =]
Happy baking!
November 8th, 2011 at 12:46
Hey Thanks Jae! I’m going to try it… I’ve been tempted to try the glass of water in the oven trick and the wet tea towel pinned to the tin trick but they sound way too fiddly! Have you ever tried either of these?
November 9th, 2011 at 19:29
No never heard of either of those! But the dip works very well =]
March 2nd, 2012 at 16:29
This looks epic! I love the idea of honeycomb buttercream.
July 27th, 2012 at 12:26
I do believe I have found my birthday cake for this year! It looks so delicious.
And I may have to use the honeycomb recipe next time I make honeycomb ice cream too.
November 4th, 2012 at 23:41
Honeycomb ice cream sounds so good, I want some!! =D
February 3rd, 2013 at 19:29
Where exactly did you actually obtain the techniques to create ““Honeycomb Layer Cake Preheat the Oven”?
I appreciate it ,Philomena