Brown Butter Cardamom Honey Cake

Brown Butter Cardamom Honey Cake

A simple, tender loaf-style cake built on brown butter, warm cardamom and a spoonful of honey. It keeps well for days, and the nutty smell that fills the kitchen while the butter browns is reason enough to make it tonight.

You need

• 115 g (1/2 cup, 1 stick) unsalted butter
• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 large eggs [about 100 g], at room temperature
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) plain yogurt [full-fat preferred]
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons demerara or coarse sugar, for the top

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter and flour a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan and line the base with parchment.
2. Brown the butter: melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. It will foam, then go quiet, and then little brown flecks will form on the bottom and it will smell nutty, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour it into a bowl straight away so it does not keep cooking.
3. Whisk the browned butter with the sugar and honey until grainy and slightly cooled, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each, then the yogurt and vanilla.
4. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Fold into the wet mixture with a spatula, along with the lemon zest, until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine.
5. Scrape into the pan, level the top and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
6. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is deep golden, domed and springs back when lightly pressed, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If the top darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil after 35 minutes.
7. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out onto a rack and cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour more. The crumb is better the next day.