Honey Lemon Cake Recipe

Begin by making the custard portion for the diplomat cream so it has time to cool. Place the egg yolks, sugar and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and whisk continuously for about 5 minutes.
3 large egg yolks room temperature, 50 grams granulated sugar, 227 grams unsalted butter softened
The mixture will look chunky before it melts. After it melts, continue cooking it until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and resembles lemon curd. Quickly remove it from the heat, pour it into a heat safe container and cover it with a lid. Set it aside to cool completely to room temperature.

Place the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat them together at medium speed for 2 minutes.
6 egg yolks room temperature, 100 grams granulated sugar
Place the honey in a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, and bring it to a simmer while stirring intermittently. Cook for about 3 minutes, until it begins to bubble. Remove it from the heat and then add the baking soda to the hot honey and whisk continuously while it’s bubbling.
170 grams Nature Nate’s 100 Pure, Raw & Unfiltered Honey, 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
Turn the mixer to medium speed and slowly pour in the honey followed by the oil. Add the flour and mix just until it’s incorporated, scraping the edge of the bowl as needed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight.
80 mL canola oil, 210 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
Preheat the oven to 350F/177C and grease and line five 8” cake pans (you can also do 1-2 at a time). Distribute the batter among the five cake pans, you should get about 4.25oz per layer. Bake for about 8-9 minutes, until it’s browned and slightly puffed in the center.

Combine the apricot preserves with the honey until it’s smooth.
320 grams apricot preserves or jam, 2 Tbsp Nature Nate’s 100 Pure Raw & Unfiltered Honey

Mix the gelatin with water and allow it to dissolve.
1/2 Tbsp gelatin, 30 mL warm water
Place the powdered sugar, and just a couple Tbsp of the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat them at medium speed until they’re well combined.
60 grams powdered sugar spooned and leveled, 600 mL heavy whipping cream
Then slowly keep pouring the cream in until the mixture thins out a bit. Once all the cream is added, beat at full speed just until soft peaks form.
If the gelatin has set and isn't liquid anymore, microwave it for 5 seconds, until it's liquid again. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed, pour in the gelatin and beat until stiff peaks form and the whipped cream looks smooth.
Don’t over-beat but if you accidentally do and it looks chunky, add another Tbsp of cream to smooth it back out. Add the diplomat cream and the lemon juice and turn the mixer to full speed, just until it’s combined. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl but don’t over mix.
60 mL lemon juice juice from about 1 large lemon

Place the first layer of cake on a flat surface and and then gently spread out the apricot filling on top. Spread a generous amount of lemon cream on top of the apricot filling. Go almost to the edge of the cake with the cream (so it doesn’t squish out once it’s done), then place the next layer of cake on top and press down gently.
Repeat with the rest of the layers and then place the last layer of cake on top. Spread the rest of the lemon cream on the top layer of cake and top drizzle some more apricot filling on top. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours and then top with fresh flowers, lemons and apricots.
Serve slightly chilled.