¾cups butter(or dairy free like Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
½cupwhite sugar
3eggs
2tbspmilk(or dairy free alternative)
1tbspfresh orange zest
1cupchopped walnuts
For the Spiced Honey Reduction:
1cuphoney
½cupwhite sugar
½ cupwater
1tsplemon juice(fresh squeezed)
1teaspoonfresh orange zest
1wholecinnamon stick
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Then add the milk and orange zest, mixing to combine.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a little at a time, on a low speed using a hand mixer. Once it is well combined, stir in the walnuts by hand.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for about 25 minutes. Watch it closely after 20 minutes to make sure it doesn't brown too much or over bake. You want the center to just barely be set. If the center doesn’t jiggle, it is done! Over baking it can result in a dry and crumbly cake once it cools, so don’t let it over bake!
Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into square, triangle or diamond shapes. Either pour the Spiced Honey Reduction over the cake, allowing it to absorb fully into the cake for a super rich and sticky sweet experience or wait until serving and drizzle how much sweetness you’d like over individual servings.
Garnish with finely chopped toasted walnuts or pistachios, orange zest and/or whipped cream if you’d like.
For the Spiced Honey Reduction:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine honey, sugar and water. When the sugar dissolves, stir in lemon juice and add the orange zest and cinnamon stick.
Bring to a boil, but watch carefully so that it doesn't boil over! It can happen easily. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer and reduce for 15 minutes.
Then turn off the heat and let it sit at room temperature until the cake is ready to be topped.