Greek Honey Cake

This year our talented gentlemen bakers are challenged to produce this lovely sticky cake, which is often found at Greek food festivals.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 125g plain flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 180g butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 100g roughly chopped walnuts

For the honey syrup

• 50g caster sugar
• 170g honey
• 90ml water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and flour a 23cm (9in) square cake tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, just until incorporated. Stir in the walnuts.

Tip batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, and meanwhile make the honey syrup.

In a saucepan, combine honey, sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, bring to a boil and cook for a further 2 minutes. Cut the cake into diamond shapes in the tin and pour the honey syrup over. When syrup fully absorbed, remove cake from tin and arrange pieces on a plate.