burnt honey
175g honey
40g water

cake layers
40g burnt honey
175g honey
160gcaster sugar
140g salted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs
320g plain flour
2 tsp bi-carb soda

finishing cream and garnishes
80g burnt honey
260g dulce de leche made from condensed milk (Top’n’Fill caramel)
1 tsp sea salt
800g cream (separated into 200g and 600g portions)
200g smoked almonds
50 borage flowers

For the burnt honey, place the honey in a pot large enough to allow froth. Cook honey on a medium heat until it begins to darken. Remove the pot from the heat, carefully add water, stir and set aside.

For the cake layers, preheat oven to 180C. Ideally, you’ll need 3 trays to efficiently cook the 12 layers (otherwise they can be baked 1 layer at a time).

Tear off 12 sheets of baking paper to fit the trays, and using a 20cm cake ring, trace a circle on one side of the paper using a permanent marker so that you can see the circle through to the other side. Turn the paper over, and line the first 3 trays circle side down, making sure the paper is stuck down nice and flat. Set aside.

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Prepare a double boiler by finding a wide pot and a metal bowl that comfortably sits on top. Add about an inch of water and place the pot on a medium heat.

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In the metal bowl, add the burnt honey, fresh honey, sugar, butter and cinnamon. Place on the double boiler and stir until melted and combined.

While the mixture is warm, whisk in the eggs thoroughly to combine. Continue tempering over the double boiler until the mixture comes back to a warm temperature.

Sift in the flour and bi-carb soda, whisking to combine until smooth. Remove from the heat until it comes down to room temperature.

To bake the 12 layers, place ¼ cup of the cake mix at a time in the centre of the circle. Using a crank handled spatula, gently push the mix from the inside of the circle out to the edge. We want to make sure it’s as flat as possible. If you go over the circle a little, layers can be trimmed later.

Bake the layers for 6 minutes, until an even brown colour is achieved and they are cooked but not dry. Slide the baking paper off the tray and onto the bench, then re-line the trays with the next 3 sheets of paper. Repeat the process until all 12 layers are baked and laid out on the bench. Allow to cool to room temperature, then place the layers in the fridge to set.

Using the same cake ring that you used to draw the circle, place the ring on each cake layer and run a knife around the outside to trim the layers into perfect circles. Keep the trim, as that will form part of the crumb mix on the outside of the cake. Keep the layers in the fridge until you’re ready to build the cake.

For the finishing cream, place 80g burnt honey, dulce de leche, salt and 200g cream in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined, and place in the fridge to cool right down to fridge temperature.

Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, whip the remaining 600g cream until you reach soft peaks. Add the cream mixture from the fridge, and continue to whip to stiff peaks. Keep in the fridge until ready to layer.

In a food processor, pulse the smoked almonds until ‘crushed’ and place in a mixing bowl.

In the same food processor, pulse the cake trim until a biscuit crumb size is achieved and add to the crushed almonds. Toss together to combine.

To layer, place the cake layers out on the bench, keeping the baking paper on at this stage.

Add about 2 heaped tablespoons of the cream mix to the centre of each cake layer, then use a crank handled spatula to evenly push the cream out to about 5mm inside the edge of the cake. We only want to have about 2-3mm in height of cream on each layer.

Once all layers have cream, carefully place them individually back in the fridge to set for 30 minutes. You should have plenty of cream left to dress the outside, keep it in the fridge until required.

Bringing the layers out 1 at a time, carefully remove the baking paper and place the bottom layer on a cake tray or your serving plate of choice. Continue to build the layers by carefully removing the baking paper, stacking the layers evenly on top of each other until all layers are stacked.

Stick 3 skewers through the top of the cake to the bottom layer to stabilise whilst setting.

Using a crank handled spatula, add a 5mm layer of the cream mix to the sides and top of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge to fully set overnight. This time is important, as it allows the cream to settle into the cake and firm up.

The next day, using a cupped hand, gently press the trim/smoked almond mix to the side of the cake. Cover the top of the cake with borage flowers and serve.

This article first appeared in the September 2025 issue of SALIFE magazine.