Spiced honey cake from Estremoz

This spiced honey cake comes from Estremoz in the Alentejo region of Portugal.  The cake presents and interesting range of flavours.  When first eaten one gets a hit of orange peel.  Then the taste of the honey comes through.  Finally, there is a spice kick.  The cake is beautifully light.

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

Cooking Time: 1 Hr

Total Time: 80 Mins

Ingredients

4                    Eggs  - large

100 gms          Sugar  - caster        

170 ml             Olive oil    

170 ml             Honey  - runny        

2                    Oranges  - grated rind of        

2 tbs               Brandy      

230 gms          Flour  - self-raising   

2 tsp               Mixed spice  - ground

Method

Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. 

Beat the yolks with the sugar.  Beat in the olive oil little by little, then the honey, the grated orange rind and the brandy.  Sieve the flour and spice and beat into the mixture.  Whip the egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the mixture.

Pour the mixture into a greased round tin with a removable bottom. Bake in a slow oven (170°C) for just over 1 hour, until the cake top is firm, and a skewer, when it is inserted, comes out clean.  Leave in the tin until cool and then take out.

This cake improves with keeping.

Wine recommendations

A sweet or fortified wine.

Conventional

     Verdelho Madeira

Interesting

     Barsac

     Beaumes de Venise

     Oloroso Sherry