A cake to remember: Honey layers meet creamy nut fusion

The cake that my sister introduced me to literally took my breath away. The effort she invested was nothing short of impressive, the end results simply phenomenal. The fluffy honey layers yielded to a creamy nut filling and a tantalising hint of tart apple. This cake is a true medley of delightful flavours.

This dessert is a true riot of colours and flavours. Nestled between the three fluffy layers of honey cake, you'll find a creamy mix of nuts and apple, balanced with a tangy hint of lemon gelatin. To top it all off, the whole cake is drenched in rich, sweet caramel sauce and generously sprinkled with nuts. This guarantees a burst of flavours with every bite.

Ingredients:

FOR THE CAKE BASE

• 1.3 cup (2.6 sticks) butter (or margarine),
• 1.4 cup powdered sugar,
• 3 eggs,
• 4 cups all-purpose flour + extra for dusting,
• 5 tablespoons of honey,
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda,
• 0.4 tablespoon of 10% spirit vinegar.

FOR THE NUT FILLING

• 2.6 cups walnuts,
• 1.3 cup milk,
• 0.6 cup sugar,
• 1.3 cup (2.6 sticks) butter.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

• 4.4 lbs apples,
• lemon gelatin,
• a can of caramel,
• nuts for garnishing.

The method:

1. Create a mixture of butter (or margarine), powdered sugar, and honey. Heat until you get a smooth, amber-colored fluid. Allow this mixture to cool.
2. Once cooled, mix in the vinegar.
3. Combine the flour and baking soda. Incorporate this into the mixture. Knead to form dough.
4. Refrigerate the dough for about 2 hours. After this interval, divide the dough into three parts. Roll out each part and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 356 degrees Fahrenheit. Once baked, allow the bases to cool.
5. While the bases cool, prepare the walnut filling. To the milk, add the finely ground nuts and sugar, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture thickens. Allow this to cool, then beat the butter until fluffy and incorporate it into the walnut filling.
6. Grate the apples and fry them in a skillet. Stir in the gelatin powder and mix well to dissolve the gelatin.
7. Add a layer of hot apples to one base and cover with another. Cover with a cloth to cool.
8. Add a second layer - the walnut filling, then cover it with the last base. Spread the caramel sauce on top and garnish it by sprinkling over additional nuts.
9. Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 12 hours before serving.

Avid bakers may have noted the use of vinegar in our list of ingredients. This is incorporated in the recipe to neutralize the baking soda. Vinegar and baking soda interact to create a froth and produce gas. The gassing effect is crucial here.

Why use vinegar to neutralize baking soda? Vinegar eliminates the need for yeast in the dough preparation. The dough rises due to the carbon dioxide released when baking soda reacts with acid (the acid could be vinegar, lemon juice, or fermented dairy products like kefir). Note: the baking soda and acid should not be directly mixed! Instead, add the baking soda to the dry ingredients and the acid to the wet ones. The two components will blend during the kneading process.