Polish honey cake

This rich honey cake is the pride of Poland and was once named one of the best cakes in the world. It has thin layers of baked honey cake soaked in rum and honey, which are filled with indulgent caramel cream, then topped with ganache and walnuts.

Polish honey cake. Credit: Murdoch Books / Frankie Turner

• serves

  12

• prep

  50 minutes

• cook

  1:25 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Honey cake

• 120 g (4¼ oz) salted butter, room temperature
• 80 g (2¾ oz) soft brown sugar
• 150 g (5½ oz) runny honey
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 450 g (1lb) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

Rum & honey soak

• 50 ml (1½fl oz) runny honey
• 50 ml (1½fl oz) dark spiced rum

Caramel cream

• 500 ml (17fl oz) full-cream (whole) milk
• 40 g (1½oz) caster (superfine) sugar
• 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 25 g (1 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
• 20 g (¾ oz) cornflour (cornstarch), sifted
• 250 g (9 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 400 g (14 oz) dulce de leche (tinned caramel)
• 100 g (3½ oz) walnuts, finely chopped

Chocolate ganache

• 50 g (1¾ oz) double (thick) cream
• 90 g (3¼ oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

To decorate

• 12 walnut halves

Standing and chilling time: 2 hours 10 minutes.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Line the base of a 23cm (9 inch) round springform cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides.
2. For the honey cake: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until pale and creamy. While mixing, gradually add the sugar and honey and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.
3. Combine the flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
4. Sift the flour mixture over the wet mixture, then mix on the lowest speed until a dough forms.
5. Divide the dough into seven equal portions and roll into balls.
6. On a floured work surface, roll out each dough ball to fit in the tin. You can do this by drawing a 23cm (9 inch) circle on a piece of baking paper and using that as a guide, or you can press the dough balls, one by one, into the base of the tin to make them the right size. Bake each portion in the tin individually for 12 minutes. Transfer the baked layers to a wire rack.
7. For the rum & honey soak: In a small bowl or cup, mix the honey with the rum until dissolved.
8. For the caramel cream: Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling.
9. Combine the sugar, egg yolks, flour and cornflour in a bowl. While whisking, gradually add half the hot milk to the egg mixture and mix to combine. Transfer all the mixture back to the pan and bring to the boil, whisking constantly.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and cover the mixture with plastic wrap, touching the surface of the caramel cream, to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
11. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until pale and creamy. While mixing on medium–low speed, gradually add the cooled egg and milk mixture and continue mixing until just combined – do not overmix or the mixture may curdle. While mixing, gradually add the dulce de leche and mix until combined. Add the chopped nuts and fold them in using a spatula.
12. For the chocolate ganache: Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling.
13. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chocolate and leave to sit for 2 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Leave the chocolate to cool, but don’t let it set.
14. To assemble: Place the first sponge layer on a cake board or serving plate and use a pastry brush to soak it with one-sixth of the rum and honey soak.
15. Spread one-sixth of the caramel cream over the top of the soaked sponge.
16. Place the next sponge on top, brush with another one-sixth of the rum and honey soak, add another one-sixth of the caramel cream and spread it over the cake.
17. Repeat until you have placed the sixth layer on top of the cake. Don’t add the soak and caramel cream to this layer just yet. Set the seventh cake aside for later.
18. Place a board on top of the cake and place something heavy (like a tin of beans) on top to apply pressure.
19. Transfer to the fridge for 2 hours.
20. Remove the cake from the fridge and remove the weight. Use a pastry brush to apply the remaining rum and honey soak. Spread the remaining cream evenly over the top and side of the cake.
21. Blitz the left-over sponge layer in a food processor to a crumb texture. Press the cake crumbs onto the side of the cake (see photograph). Spread the chocolate ganache evenly over the top of the cake and decorate with the walnuts.
22. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.

Image and recipe from Baking with Pride by Janusz Domagala, photography by Frankie Turner (Murdoch Books RRP HB $49.99).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.