Ellen Easton's Almond Honey Pound Cake
By Ellen Easton © 2008 All Rights Reserved

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1/4 tsp. baking powder
8 oz. almond paste
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
12 TBS. unsalted, sweet butter, softened
4 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 TBS. Nielsen-Massey Pure Almond Extract
1 TBS. honey
1/4 cup whole natural almonds, crushed to small bits and dust.
Domino™ granulated brown sugar

Grease pan with Pam™ Baking Spray. Sprinkle almond dust to lightly coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Use an 8 inch loaf pan or bundt pan.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl mix cake flour and baking powder, set aside.

In a food processor break the almond paste into small pieces. Add sugar, salt, and almond extract. Mix until the batter is no longer lumpy. It will have a grainy appearance.

In a large mixer, on a low to medium speed, 1 tablespoon at a time, add the butter and honey Stop to scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl to insure that all is mixed. One at a time, add the eggs and heavy cream. Add the almond paste and flour mixtures to the large mixing bowl. Increase the speed until the batter is completely smooth.

Place the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle top with more almond bits and granulated brown sugar. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the top is golden. Test the center with an inserted wood toothpick. When removed toothpick is clean of batter, remove cake from oven. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

LAVENDER GLAZE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup confectionery sugar
2 TBS. lemon juice
2 TBS. orange juice
1 tablespoon edible herb lavender buds/flowers* or extract.

In a small saucepan over a medium-low heat, mix the ingredients of the Lavender Glaze. Bring to a boil. Remove from stove. Strain lavender buds/flowers. Drizzle the glaze on the top of the cooled cake. Decorate and serve.

ELLEN EASTON, author of AFTERNOON TEA...TIPS,TERMS and TRADITIONS, etiquette, lifestyle and tea consultant to leading hotels and tearooms, including The PLAZA and LADY MENDL’s, is a speaker and designer of related products to the hotel, food service, retail and special event industries. (212) 722-7981