Photo: Simon LambertThere’s something about honey cake that suits this time of year. Warm, fragrant and made for sharing. A little polenta gives a gentle texture, finished with ginger and softly poached feijoas. Serves 8-10 Prep time 20min Cooking time 45min Skill level Easy-moderate Cake 130g plain flour 20g fine polenta 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 225g unsalted butter, softened 225g honey 4 eggs, room temperature (approx. 200g) 45ml milk, slightly warmed Zest of 1 orange Ginger & Feijoa Honey Syrup 225g honey 60ml water ¾ tsp lemon juice 20g fresh ginger, finely sliced into thin strips 400g feijoas, peeled and cut into rounds Method Preheat oven to 160°C fan bake. Line a 20cm cake tin. In a bowl, whisk together flour, polenta, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter and honey for 2–3 minutes until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing gently with a spoon or spatula, alternating with the dry ingredients. Stir in the milk and orange zest. The batter will be thick but soft. Spoon into the tin and level lightly. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Ginger & Feijoa Syrup While the cake rests, combine honey and water in a saucepan. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and ginger, simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the feijoas and gently poach for 3-5 minutes until just tender but holding their shape. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. To finish: Using a skewer, poke holes all over the cake. Spoon over the warm syrup along with the feijoas, allowing it to absorb gradually. Serve warm or at room temperature. A dollop of thick yoghurt or cream works well.
