Honey Cake Layers

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you bake honey cake layers? Measure out the ingredients. You can use either liquid or set honey.

2. Step 2:

   

   In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and honey.

3. Step 3:

   

   Over low heat, stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a smooth, uniform state. The grains of sugar should dissolve completely.

4. Step 4:

   

   Separately, beat the eggs until smooth. A fork or whisk is enough.

5. Step 5:

   

   Pour the beaten eggs into the saucepan of sweet butter mixture in a thin stream. To keep the eggs from curdling, be sure to stir the mixture vigorously as you do. If you're worried they'll curdle, you can cook the mixture in a water bath: pour water into a larger pot and set the pot with the mixture on top. The water should boil gently and not touch the bottom of the upper pot.

6. Step 6:

   

   Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the baking soda and stir well.

8. Step 8:

   

   The mixture will start to foam a little. After 1–2 minutes, take the pan off the stove.

9. Step 9:

   

   Cool the mixture until it's just barely warm. To speed that up, pour it into the bowl you'll knead the honey dough in.

10. Step 10:

    

    Sift the flour through a sieve to clear out any unwanted particles and aerate it. This makes the dough more uniform, and the layers rise better while baking.

11. Step 11:

    

    Add most of the flour to the cooled mixture and stir it in, first with a spoon. Depending on the flour, you may need more or less, so don't add it all at once.

12. Step 12:

    

    If the dough isn't thick enough, add a little more flour. But don't overdo it, or the dough will turn out stiff.

13. Step 13:

    

    The dough should be soft, pliable, and slightly sticky. If a ball of dough doesn't hold its shape very well, that's the right consistency for honey dough — the layers will come out crumbly rather than tough.

14. Step 14:

    

    Divide the dough into 10–12 pieces and roll them into balls. Cover the dough so it doesn't dry out.

15. Step 15:

    

    Roll each piece of dough out into a thin round sheet. You can do this right on parchment. Trim the edges of the layer using a plate of the right diameter — mine are 20 cm across. You can also trim the layer after baking.

16. Step 16:

    

    To keep the layer from puffing up while baking, prick it with a fork. I didn't bother with the rest of the layers, since mine don't puff up.

17. Step 17:

    

    Bake the layer in an oven preheated to 160–170°C (320–340°F) for 3–5 minutes. The layers bake very fast, so don't wander far from the oven or the layer will dry out. As soon as the edges turn lightly golden, take it out. The baking time and temperature may differ depending on how your equipment works. If you trim the layers after baking, do it the moment you take them out of the oven — once they cool, they'll be brittle.

18. Step 18:

    

    Transfer the finished layers to a flat surface. Combine the dough scraps and roll out one more layer. You can use it for the cake, or brown it a bit more and grind it into crumbs to decorate the cake.

19. Step 19:

    

    This time I made the layers a bit thicker. If you want them thinner, divide the dough into 11–12 pieces. For the honey cake you can use any frosting: sour cream, boiled condensed milk with butter, or custard. It's better to let the cake soak for at least 8 hours — then it'll be especially tender. Enjoy!