I rarely bake cakes these days because of bad sugar publicity and everybody’s weight-loss obsession. However, my husband insists that our brain needs sugar to function well. Sugar does more than just create the immediate feeling of euphoria. It boosts your creative energy and mental productivity.

And when it comes to Birthday celebrations, there is no real birthday without a Birthday cake. I recently baked a honey cake for my husband’s birthday at his request. He said it was the best gift he could have gotten.

Both of my grandmas recognized my enthusiasm for baking from an early age. I enjoyed watching them crafting pastries and pies, and was allowed to participate by whisking eggs, mixing the ingredients, rolling dough, and whatnot. Everything was handmade – no powerful kitchen machines at the time, so my help was appreciated.

The honey cake was the first cake I made myself when I was fifteen years old.

Both of my grandmas loved to entertain their friends and family at home and treat them to homemade baked masterpieces. At least two or three different cakes were prepared and decorated for a special occasion like a family member’s Birthday. But nobody had made a honey cake in my family before, and I was very proud to introduce it to my family’s baking repertoire.

So let’s recreate the process of making this simple and very delicious cake.

Prepare a double boiler and maintain a simmer over low heat. A double boiler is a saucepan with a detachable upper compartment or another saucepan heated by boiling water in the lower one.

Place three tablespoons of honey, one stick of butter and three eggs whisked with one cup of sugar. Simmer gently over low heat stirring until melted and smooth.

Place the double-boiled mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer, incorporate 2 cups of flour mixed with one cup of ground walnuts, add one lemon juice without seeds, a teaspoon of baking soda in lemon juice, and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Mix everything in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Pour the batter into a prepared round pan with parchment paper greased with butter and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes until the cake is firm on top and the skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.

You can divide the batter into three parts and bake in three pans, or, as I do, bake it all in one pan, cool it down, and slice the cake into three horizontal layers by using a serrated kitchen knife.

To prepare the cream, you need two cups of heavy whipping cream, (or thick sour cream or fraiche), two cups of powdered sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla. Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl (previously cooled in the freezer for an hour for better results) and whip until you see firm peaks.

To assemble the cake, be sure that cake rounds are cool.  Place one of the cake rounds on a cake plate, spread one-third of the cream, sprinkle finely chopped or ground walnuts. Continue layering until the cake is done.

Prepare ganache. Bring two cups of heavy cream to a boil, remove from the heat and add 24 ounces of chopped chocolate whisking gently until melted and smooth. Put aside to cool at room temperature. Frost the cake with ganache and refrigerate covered for at least 12 hours.

For best results, prepare the cake a day before the event.

P.S. All the food featured in this post has been prepared and photographed by me.