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03.07.2014

8 ratings, avg : 4.38
8
3.5lt

A sponge pudding with a twist! Honey takes the place of golden syrup making it quite different in taste but equally delicious. And the sponge is cooked in the slow cooker! (ok, two twists)

So we all know how amazing treacle sponge is. This version was created because I wanted to make it easier on my readers here in Greece to find all the ingredients. Golden syrup is not that easy to find, so although I adore the stuff, I thought I’d give the cake a go with some Greek honey, which is a staple in all homes. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised. The taste is different to the classic treacle sponge, but it’s just as gorgeous. In fact, it’s definitely worth trying it this way for a nice change.

The other twist with this sponge cake is the cooking method. I mean, it’s supposed to be steamed, and a lot of steamed puds need a longer time to cook, so what better way to do it than in the slow cooker? It’s ideal, as you don’t have to worry about the water bath running low, and the steam stays trapped in the stoneware. The only thing you need to be sure about is whether your pudding basin fits in the slow cooker insert. I’d say if you don’t have one, it’s a great investment as you can do all sorts of yummy things with it. (And that applies to both the basin and the appliance!) My basin is 16cm across the top and has a capacity of 850ml (to the brim) – my slow cooker is a 3.5 litre.

I don’t need to tell you what to serve your honey sponge with. It’s got to be vanilla ice cream (for summer) or, custard or clotted cream (for winter). You know what? A thought just occurred to me. I wonder what this cake would be like with a little dollop of Greek yogurt… Gah, I think I need to make another one, just to check.

Ingredients

130gr butter + 15gr for greasing

3 Tbs Greek runny honey

2 Tbs breadcrumbs

130gr brown sugar, granulated

1 small lemon, zest only

2 eggs

130gr self raising flour

1 1/2 Tbs milk

boiling water for the water bath

Show me more ideas and suggestions

If you live in Greece you can find golden syrup and custard at specialised shops with UK products like BR Foods. For stockists of Cottage Delight clotted cream contact Simply Delicious.

Step 1

Generously grease the basin with about 10 grams of the extra butter. Put the breadcrumbs in the bottom and pour the honey over them.

Step 2

Make the cake batter by creaming the butter, sugar and lemon zest till fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between. Use a spatula to fold in the flour and then the milk. Transfer the mixture to the basin, place it on top of the honey (without stirring) and level out the top.

Step 3

Grease a sheet of baking paper with the last 5 grams of butter and make a pleat in it. Make a similar pleat in a piece of foil. Lay the baking paper with the buttered side over the bowl, and then lay the foil over that. The pleats are there so the paper can expand if the cake rises that much (mine didn’t with these quantities). Secure the paper and foil by tying a piece of string round the basin rim. Cut away any excess paper and transfer the basin to the slow cooker insert. Fill with boiling water till it comes halfway up the sides of the basin.

Step 4

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. After time is up, use some sharp scissors to cut an X in the centre of the paper in order to make a hole. Insert a skewer and if it comes out dry or with a few moist crumbs on it your cake is ready. Very carefully take the basin out of the slow cooker (use oven gloves). Leave for a few minutes, discard the papers, place a large plate over the top and invert so that the plate is upright and the bowl is sitting on it upside down. Leave it like that for a few minutes so the cake is pulled out by its own weight. Slowly lift the basin and admire the beautiful sponge. It will be very hot.

Recipe based on this Treacle Sponge recipe by BBC Good Food.

8 ratings, avg : 4.38

So, what do you think? Leave me a comment!

6 Comments

  • Reply
    10/07/2014

    Oh, ‘eck that looks gorgeous! I’ve never made a pudding in the slow cooker, going to pin this to remind me to try come autumn. Thanks Eleni!
    Janie x

    • Reply
      10/07/2014

      Thanks Janie! The honey makes for an interesting change. It’s really good with ice cream so you don’t even need to wait for colder weather 😉 Let me know how it goes!

  • Reply
    Ann
    02/10/2015

    Hi Eleni, Your Greek Honey Sponge Cake recipe looks delicious but I cannot convert the grams to cup measurements. Part of your measurements are US
    standard and the rest grams. Can you convert those for me?
    130 gr butter + 15 gr, 130 gr brown sugar, 130 gr flour.
    Thanking you in advance for your help.
    Ann

    • Reply
      03/10/2015

      Hi Ann! Thanks for your comment. I usually work in weight for the larger amounts of ingredients, and table/teaspoons for the smaller. I measured out some brown sugar and flour, and got 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs for the sugar, and 3/4 cup + 2 Tbs for the self raising flour. I’m out of butter so I can’t measure it, but after some calculations I’ve worked it out to be 1/2 cup + 1 1/2 (1.5) Tbs for the 130 grams, and 1 Tbs for the 15 grams. These are approximate but I think they should work. I’ve seen on the internet that 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) is 110 grams, so that’s what I’ve based the math on. Hope it works out! Let me know if you like the cake!

  • Reply
    Mitzie
    03/10/2015

    M seeking renal and diabetic friendly slow-cooker meals and desserts.

    • Reply
      03/10/2015

      Hello. My recipes aren’t diet specific, so you will have to check the ingredients in them to see whether or not they are suitable for your requirements. If you need any specific info about something please let me know. Many thanks for visiting!