Royal Cake

makes one 9x13inch (23x32cm) cake

Ingredients:

Honey cakes:

350g/12oz (about 2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick and 4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 egg

Sponge cake:

4 eggs (separate yolks and whites)

¾ cup sugar

1 vanilla sugar (8g/0.32oz)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon potato starch (potato flour)

4 tablespoons oil (I use canola)

1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling:

2 cups milk

½ cup sugar

1 vanilla sugar (8g/0.32oz)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon potato flour

2 sticks of butter

Ganache:

1 stick of butter

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons water

1 yolk

Directions:

Honey Cakes:

Put the flour and baking soda in a large bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer.

In a medium saucepan melt together the butter/margarine, honey and sugar. Pour the melted mixture over the flour with the baking soda, add the egg and mix/knead very well until well combined. Divide the dough into two portions and using your fingertips press each piece of dough into a lightly greased baking pan (23x32cm/9x13inch). Bake each cake in a preheated oven 180C/350F for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down. They will be soft at the beginning but become very tough (like a stone) soon after removing from the oven (and that’s how it’s supposed to be so don’t worry).

Sponge Cake:

Using your electric mixer (or hand mixer) whisk the egg whites until stiff. Still whisking gradually add sugar and vanilla sugar and then yolks (one at a time).

Sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder and gradually fold the mixture into a batter mixing well with wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Then add potato flour and canola oil and mix well until well incorporated.

Pour the batter into a greased 23x32cm/9x13inch baking pan and bake in a preheated oven, 180C/360F for about 45-50 minutes. Cool down completely.

Filling:

Mix together 1 cup of milk, sugar, vanilla sugar, all-purpose flour and potato flour. Bring the second cup of milk to boil and while boiling pour the milk and flour mixture into it. Simmer until thick (a couple of minutes) stirring all the time. While still hot add the butter and stir very well until the butter is melted completely.

Place one honey cake in a 23x32cm/9x13inch baking pan, pour over it the half of the hot filling. Then place the sponge cake on it and pour over the rest of the filing. Place the second honey cake on the top of it and press gently. Cover the cake with the ganache and put in a refrigerator for a whole night (the filling will set and honey cakes soften).

Ganache:

Put the butter, sugar, water and cocoa powder into a small saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from the heat, add the yolk and mix very well. Pour over the cake.

On the next day cut the cake into squares and serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

You can store this cake for a couple of days. Even better when older!:)

Enjoy!:)