Honey Almond Layer Cake Recipes

BEST EVER ALMOND CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (with high sides) or three 8-inch round cake pans (with high sides), lining the bottoms with parchment paper rounds for easy release.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer) whip the butter on medium high speed until very smooth. Add the sugar and mix on high speed until fluffy and creamy. The sugar will start to dissolve into the butter a little bit during this creaming process, so you should be able to feel the grains of sugar getting smaller.
• Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly at this stage to make sure everything is mixed well.
• Mix in the oil and almond extract on low speed.
• Measure the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup and and set aside.
• Measure and sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl and combine with a wire whisk.
• Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternatively while the mixer is running on low speed. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, half the buttermilk, another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the other half of the milk, and the remaining dry ingredients.
• Turn the speed of the mixer to medium-low and mix until the batter is smooth (about one minute).
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 29-34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean.
• Cool the cakes in the pans for about 5-7 minutes and then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Once the cakes are cool, store them wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to frost. They should be refrigerated for at least 1 hour before frosting.
• While the cakes cool, heat the milk in a small saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the flour slowly, whisking constantly to combine.
• Continue to cook this mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and no lumps remain.
• Spread out the thickened milk and flour mixture onto a dinner plate to cool completely.
• When the mixture is cool, press it through a sieve or strainer to remove any tiny lumps that may remain.
• Add it to a large bowl with a hand mixer, or to the bowl of your stand mixer, and mix on medium-high speed until smooth.
• Add the butter and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture is very smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, along with the salt and the almond extract.
• Continue to mix on medium-high until the frosting is extra smooth and creamy.
• Level the top of the cakes with a serrated bread knife or a cake leveler (if you have one). Place one of the cakes on a plate or cake stand and place a dollop of frosting on top.
• Spread out the frosting to the edges of the cake, place the next layer on top and then frost the top and sides of the cake until everything is smooth.
• Use Life Love and Sugar's tutorial on how to get straight edges when frosting layer cakes with buttercream (find the tutorial HERE), or simply frost it in a rustic pattern as you wish.
• Arrange the fruit pieces, cookies, and almonds on top as you wish.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

HONEY & ALMOND LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• First, make the honey & almond sponges. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Grease two 15cm cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the butter, muscovado sugar and 140g honey until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition until well incorporated. In a clean bowl, whisk together the flour, almonds, baking powder and 1 / 4 tsp salt. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Add the vanilla and milk, continuing to beat, then add the remaining flour mixture, beating until just combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake for 45-55 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 mins in their tins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Leave the oven on for the candied almonds.
• To make a honey syrup, put 2 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan and heat for 1-2 mins or until the honey has dissolved. Set aside.
• Make the candied almonds by heating 150ml water and the sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan with a sugar thermometer attached, and swirl until the sugar has dissolved. Meanwhile, spread the almonds out on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 mins until golden brown. Heat the sugar syrup to 119C, turn off the heat and stir in the warm almonds. Keep stirring until the syrup coats the nuts and turns white and crunchy. Tip the almonds back onto the baking sheet and roughly chop half of them.
• Next, make the Swiss meringue buttercream. Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Put the egg whites and sugar in a clean heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk using a clean electric hand mixer and heat the mixture until the sugar has dissolved (you can check this by feeling some of the egg white between your fingers to check that it isn't grainy). Remove the bowl from the heat and, using a stand or electric hand mixer, whisk for 10 mins or until the mixture forms stiff peaks and has cooled to room temperature. Add the butter, 1-2 tbsp at a time, and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the honey and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm nozzle.
• To assemble the cake, level the sponges by cutting off the domed tops and split each sponge in half to create four layers. Fix the bottom layer to a cake board or stand with a splodge of buttercream, brush with the honey syrup and pipe a layer of buttercream on top. Gently press the second layer on top and repeat with the remaining layers. Cover the cake with a thin layer of buttercream, then use a palette knife to scrape the sides clean. Pipe a ring of buttercream blobs around the top, or spread a thick layer with a palette knife. Decorate with the candied almonds.

HONEY CAKE WITH HONEYED ALMOND CRUNCH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin and line with a strip of baking parchment that overhangs each end - this will help you lift the cake out when it is cooked.
• Put the butter, honey, caster sugar, ground almonds, flour, baking powder, bicarb and yogurt into a large mixing bowl. Put the egg whites into another small bowl. Put the yolk and remaining whole egg in with all the other ingredients.
• Whisk the whites until stiff, then put your electric beater into the other bowl of ingredients and beat until just smooth. Stir in a third of the whites, then gently fold in the rest with a wooden spoon. Tip the mix into the prepared tin, scatter over the flaked almonds and bake for 55 mins on the middle-lower shelf of the oven until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven. Quickly drizzle with 2 tbsp honey and scatter with a small pinch of fine salt. Put back in the oven for 5 mins more. Remove from the oven, drizzle with 2 more tbsp honey, then cool in the tin on a wire rack. Release stuck almonds from around the edge with a knife; then, using the parchment overhangs, carefully lift the cake from the tin. Eat in slices, drizzled with a little extra honey if you like.