Honey Apple Cake 1

This honey-sweetened apple cake, topped with tender slices of apples, makes a lovely holiday dessert.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cake:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup water
1 cup (1 medium) pared, cored and chopped apple
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Honey Apple Topping:
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons rose wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 medium apples

Cooking Directions:

1. For Cake: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch heart-shaped or round cake pan; set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat after each addition. Beat in honey and lemon peel.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt; mix well. Add to creamed mixture alternately with water; begin and end with dry ingredients. Stir in apples and nuts. Turn into prepared cake pan.
4. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
5. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan. Cool completely.
6. Brush top of cake with sauce from Honey Apple Topping; arrange topping on cake.
7. For Honey Apple Topping: Heat honey, rose wine and lemon juice. Core and slice 2 medium apples; add to honey. Cook until tender and glazed; turn slices halfway through cooking.

Makes 9 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of the National Honey Board.