Farro, Brown Butter, and Honey Cake

Ingredients

6 ounces (170 g) unsalted butter

Butter and flour, for the pan

½ cup (60 g) unbleached all- purpose flour

1 cup (120 g) farro flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 g) sugar

¼ cup (80 g) honey

3 large eggs

½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature

Directions

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and then continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butterfat turns amber, the milk solids at the bottom of the pan are golden, and the butter smells deliciously nutty. This should take 2 to 4 minutes, but take your time so you don't burn anything.

Remove from the heat and pour the butter and any browned bits into the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside and let cool until the butter has solidified but is still soft. To speed this up, put the bowl in the fridge or over a bowl of ice water.

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°F).

Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) cake pan, line the bottom with a round of parchment, and butter the parchment. If you don't have parchment, make sure the butter layer is generous and even and dust the interior of the pan with all-purpose flour, tapping out the excess.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, farro flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Add 1 cup (200 g) of the sugar to the mixer bowl with the soft but solidified brown butter. Mix with the paddle on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

With the mixer running, drizzle in the honey and mix for another 30 seconds. Add the eggs to the mixer one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and the milk in this order: one-third of the dry ingredients, half of the milk, one-third of the dry ingredients, the remaining milk, and finally the remaining dry ingredients. Mix after each addition just until blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan front to back halfway through baking. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then run a knife between the cake and the edge of the pan and slide onto a serving plate; you want the sugared side up.

This cake is best eaten while still warm but will keep for a day or two wrapped in plastic at room temperature.

Notes

Simple and elegant, this cake is just waiting for some Malted Whipped Cream (page 308) and gently stewed dates, figs, or other fruit compote as a garnish. You can make this honey cake with another flour in place of the farro-spelt is excellent, as is regular whole wheat-but I like the nutty flavor of farro flour. - Makes one 9-inch (23 cm) cake