Grandma’s Honey layer Cake
Cake:
- 750 g plain flour
- 200 g sugar
- 200 g butter, softened
- 2 ts baking soda
- 3 tbs honey
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbs sour cream
- 1 ts vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Filling:
- 1 l milk
- 7- 8 ts semolina
- 150 g sugar
- 250 g butter, softened
- 1 tbs lemon zest
Apart from that you´ll need a small glass of apricot jam. around 7 tbs powdered sugar and 7 ts lemon juice.
How to:
First of all you can half the recipe, if you like. Just make sure that you have three to four layers of cake when the bake is finished. The whole recipe makes a huge pan …not that I mind. Besides, this cake stays fresh for quite some time, if kept cool. So go for the large pan, if you like. I use a 35 x 24 cm one. But, any pan is fine, if you are left with at least three layers of cake.
You have to prepare the cake in advance, because it has to rest for a night. When freshly baked the layers are hard as a stone- but that’s how it is supposed to be. The filling will soften the layers over night.
The batter is very easy to make. First put the baking soda into a little bowl and dissolve with 2 ts of water. In a large bowl mix the butter with the sugar and salt. Add the eggs – one at a time-, then the honey, sour cream and vanilla extract.
Then add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix until a non-sticky batter has formed.
I use my kitchen aid for that, but I also made the batter with a handmixer and it turned out the same. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Let the batter sit in the bowl on the countertop while you prepare the filling.
For the filling pour the milk into a medium sized pot, preferably a non-stick one and add the semolina. While stirring frequently bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. The mixture should thicken while stirring. Then add the sugar and cook for 10 minutes more. Try a tiny bit, if it´s cooked. You can always add a bit of milk, if it’s too thick. Take it off the stove and let cool for a bit.
Now it’s time to bake the layers. Line the baking tray with baking parchement.
Divide your batter in three or four equal pieces.
Now you can spread the batter evenly with your fingers directly in the baking tray or take two pieces of baking parchment and roll the batter between them. Either way it should form a thin layer of batter. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. Let each layer cool on a it’s own baking parment. This is necessary because the layers are still soft while hot and break easily. Make as many layers as you like in the same way.
Once the cooked semolina has cooled, add the soft butter and lemon zest and mix until the filling is smooth.
Warm the jam a bit in the microwave so you can spread it more easily. Put a layer of cake in the baking tray. First spread the jam and then the filling. Sometimes the filling slides on the jam- when that happens, let the jam dry for a bit. Put a layer of cake on top oft he filling. Repeat till you are out of layers and filling.
Cover the top with clinging foil and let the cake rest for a night in a cool basement or the fridge.
Before serving, mix the lemon juice and powdered sugar and poor over the cake spreading evenly- that’s a lot of work, I know, but I love that cake!
