CSR Bake A Difference - Honeycomb Cake - A Malaysian Recipe

I first heard about this wonderful charity drive from Penny at Jeroxie.com, and decided to jump aboard this wonderful sweet wagon of goodness! Check out Penny's recipe here.

CSR Bake a Difference is a wonderful event that encourages everyone to bake their Christmas presents this year instead of buying them and donate the money they save to Mission Australia through http://www.csrbakeadifference.com.au/.

The great thing about this is that CSR Sugar will match each donation dollar for dollar up to $100,000 so there’s the potential to raise $200,000 that will go directly towards helping disadvantaged Australians!!!

If you’d like to make a donation, all donations need to be made via the CSR Bake a Difference website, or you can simply go to the Donate page here and follow the instructions.

I'd been hankering to bake a cake for a while now and I really wanted to try the Boy's family's "secret" Honeycomb Cake recipe. This cake is also known as Kek Sarang Semut (Ant's Nest Cake) in other parts of the world...

Given that my pantry is already filled with a variety of CSR sugars (there's more... I know I have the raw sugar somewhere and I really want the cane sugar variety!) *sugar addict I am*

So for Christmas this year, what a better way to put on my chef's hat and apron and bake something up for my colleagues at work and showcase some of my culinary skills (and Malaysian heritage) and do some good as well?! Brilliant plan :) *BEAMS DELIGHTFULLY!*

Honeycomb Cake
Ingredients:
For the Caramel Syrup
1 ½ cup sugar
1 ½ cup water (hot)

Method:

Melt sugar over low fire (stir until it becomes liquid). Once liquefied, add hot water and stir over stove until dark amber.

** Warning - This is when the liquefied sugar will splutter and hiss and bubble uncontrollably (DO NOT WORRY!) This is what is supposed to happen, just take care to not panic. The sugar will eventually dissolve and you should have a smooth silky watery syrup.

Remove from heat and keep cool over cold water.

Ingredients

For the Honeycomb Cake

½ tin of condensed milk (200 ml)

4 eggs (or 5)

1 cup plain flour

1 ¼ teaspoon of bi-carbonate soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

4 ounces (half) of butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat (you don't want to burn the butter).

In a mixing bowl, stir in the condensed milk, mixing the eggs one at a time.

Add the melted butter, plain flour, bi-carb soda and baking powder. And finally add the cooled caramel liquid.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking tray. The mixture will be watery (so don’t worry!)

Bake the cake in 180 degrees Celsius for an hour. Depending on your oven, the time might differ slightly (to be sure, do the wooden skewer test! If the skewer comes out clean, your cake is ready!)

Let the cake rest for a while before turning it out onto a plate.

Cut them up to serve. This cake is actually best eaten overnight as it allows the flavours to settle.

It is a very rich and dense cake, and yet quite airy (due to the honeycomb like texture).

It was a success (if I must say so myself) and because I AM AWESOME!

If I can do this anyone can! I am a self-confessed failed baker.. so this was an amazing surprise (even to myself and the Boy who had his doubts!)

For more recipes utilising CSR Sugar, visit their recipe ideas!

The recipe has been followed as closely as possible, but again, with secret family recipes the measurements do tend to be a bit hit and miss (pinch of that, slight drop of this, etc.)... so I also followed the steps and pictures from the House of Annie to be sure.

Enjoy this recipe and have a Merry Bakefest Christmas!!!