Bee sting cake
Bee sting cake is a treat for grown-ups, who’ll enjoy being ‘stung’ by the fiery flavours of whisky and ginger.
Ingredients
- 250g/9oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 60ml/4 tbsp tepid milk
- 2 free-range eggs
- 85g/3oz butter, softened
For the topping
- 75ml/5 tbsp honey
- 2 pieces stem ginger, very finely sliced
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tsp whisky, bourbon or rum (to taste)
- candied lime zest
For the honey and ginger buttercream
- 125²µ/4½´Ç³ú butter, softened
- 250g/9oz icing sugar, well sifted
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp ginger syrup (from the jar of stem ginger)
- 2 pieces stem ginger, finely chopped (optional)
- 1–2 tsp whisky, bourbon or rum (optional)
Method
Put the flour in a bowl and add the yeast. Stir well, then add the salt. Put the honey and milk in a separate bowl and stir to dissolve, then beat in the eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until you have a sticky dough. Gradually add the butter, a teaspoon at a time, until it is incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it is no longer sticky, but smooth and elastic.
Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for about 1–1½ hours. It won’t quite double in size but it should be springy to the touch. Knead briefly to knock it back, then place in a 23cm/9in round loose-bottomed tin. Cover again and leave to prove for 40–45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
When the dough is risen and springy to the touch, bake for 25–30 minutes until well risen and a rich golden brown.
While the cake is baking, make the topping. Put the honey into a small saucepan over a low heat until melted and very runny. Add the sliced ginger, cinnamon and whisky.
Leave the cake in the tin and, while it is still warm, drizzle over the honey and ginger mixture, making sure you spread out the slices of ginger. Leave to cool in the tin.
To make the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar together until very soft, light and fluffy, then beat in the honey and ginger syrup. Add the ginger and whisky, if using. If the buttercream is very thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of hot water.
When the cake is completely cool, remove from the tin and place on a board. Carefully slice the cake in half and lift off the top (don’t turn it over as some of the ginger will fall off). Pipe or spread the buttercream over the base of the cake. Replace the top of the cake, then decorate with candied lime zest.
