Rachel Roddy's Apple, Honey and Poppy Seed Cake: A Culinary Delight
Rachel Roddy's apple, honey and poppy seed cake combines the rich traditions of Polish miodownik and Italian tortino di mele e papavero into a humble yet irresistible dessert. This one-bowl cake is not only easy to prepare but also showcases the unique properties of honey that elevate its flavour and moisture.
The Science of Honey in Baking
Honey serves as a powerful humectant, attracting and retaining water to prevent hardening and promote softness in baked goods. Unlike other humectants like glycerine or sorbitol, honey's natural sweetness primarily comes from fructose, which is sweeter than refined sugar. This allows for a reduced amount—suggested at 160g, but adjustable—while still delivering a pronounced sweet taste. Additionally, honey contains amino acids that enhance the Maillard reaction during baking, resulting in a deep caramelisation, a chestnut-coloured crust, and a nutty flavour profile.
Recommended honey varieties include chestnut honey and Greek pine honey, both offering complex, malty notes that complement the apple and the slightly bitter, earthy taste of poppy seeds. This combination creates a cake that is both moist and richly flavoured.
Selecting the Perfect Apples
When choosing apples for this cake, avoid overly shiny varieties with tough skin and woolly or sour flesh. Instead, opt for eating apples with sweet, creamy, and drier flesh, such as russets, cox's orange pippin, or the Italian mela annurca. These varieties enhance the cake's texture and taste. Rachel Roddy prefers to leave the apple skins on for added colour and texture, but they can be removed if desired. Thinly slice the apples by hand or with a mandoline for even distribution throughout the batter.
Baking and Serving Tips
To test for doneness, insert a strand of raw spaghetti into the centre crack; it should come out relatively clean. After baking, allow the cake to cool slightly before removing it from the tin and cooling further. Serve thick slices with a cup of tea and a spoonful of thick cream sweetened with honey for an extra touch of gold colour and flavour.
Recipe for Apple, Honey and Poppy Seed Cake
Makes 1 22cm cake
- 100g room-temperature butter
- 8 tbsp (160g) honey
- 3 eggs
- 140ml whole milk
- 220g plain or wholemeal flour, or a mix of the two
- 5 tsp poppy seeds
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1 large (or 2 small) red apples, unpeeled, quartered, cored and cut into thin slices
- 4 tbsp demerara sugar
Using a whisk, beat the butter and honey into a smooth cream, then incorporate the eggs one by one. Add the milk and whisk until the batter is smooth. Mix in the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the apple slices, then transfer the mixture to a lined or buttered and floured 22cm baking tin. Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 40 minutes, or until a skewer or spaghetti strand comes out clean. Due to honey's browning properties, the cake may darken quickly; if necessary, cover lightly with a foil tent during the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning while ensuring the batter cooks through.
