Honey, almond and cardamom cake recipe

“This cake is based on a recipe cooked by my friend Alex from 26 Grains,” explains food writer Anna Jones “For days after eating this cake, I could think of very little else.

“This is my version. It makes a large loaf and is quite rich, so you’ll get a lot of slices out of it.”

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Honey, almond and cardamom drizzle cake recipe

Makes one loaf

Ingredients

For the cake

200g light spelt or plain flour

150g ground almonds

2tsp baking powder

250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

200g brwn sugar

150ml honey or maple syrup

Zest of an unwaxed orange

Zest of an unwaxed lemon

4 medium organic eggs

For the drizzle

4 cardamom pods

4tbsp honey or maple syrup

1tsp orange blossom water

2tsp toasted sesame seeds

1tsp fennel seeds

1tsp coriander seeds

To serve

A good drizzle of honey or maple syrup

Plain yoghurt of your choice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3.

2. Grease a 900g loaf tin and line with baking paper. Put the flour, almonds, baking powder and a good pinch of sea salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk until there are no lumps of baking powder. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with an electric hand whisk, beat the butter, sugar and honey until creamy and combined.

3. Add both orange and lemon zests, then the eggs one by one, mixing well between additions.

4. Add the dry ingredients a large spoonful at a time, again mixing between additions. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Bake for 55 minutes to one hour, until the cake is dark golden on top. It will sink a little in the middle.

5. Take the cake out of the oven and leave in the tin. Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar to release the seeds, then put the seeds into a small saucepan with all the remaining drizzle ingredients. Bring to a simmer and reduce to a thin syrup – it will thicken a little more as it cools.

6. Prick the cake a few times with a skewer and pour over the syrup, then leave the cake in the tin until cooled completely. Serve in thick slices, with yoghurt mixed with honey.

The Independent