Monday Recipe: Roman Honey Cake

I love archaeology, especially the archaeology of Roman Britain and as part of my Archaeology BA (which I have just graduated from so, go me!) I spent a year working in The Roman Baths Museum in Bath. The following recipe is taken from a post I wrote for the museum blog, a link to which can be found below. I take no credit for inventing this recipe it's one that is used at food themed events the museum holds. As soon as I find out where this recipe originally came from I shall post full credits.

The first thing most people think of when you mention Roman food is garum also known as fish sauce. Famously made from rotting fish entrails, the idea puts many people off Roman food. However there is a lot more too Roman food than fish sauce, plenty of Roman dishes don’t actually contain any, this is one such recipe.
I used a 17cm sandwich pan to bake this in, I wouldn't suggest using pans much bigger or smaller than this.

Fresh from the oven, please excuse the fact it's still in the pan!

Ingredients
200g/7oz clear honey
3 eggs
50g/2oz plain white flour

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C (350 F)/gas mark 3. Prepare a baking pan either by oiling it with vegetable oil (olive if you want to be really Roman!) or lining with baking parchment

2. Beat the eggs, and then slowly add the honey. Beat until all the honey is mixed in and the surface of the mix is covered in tiny bubbles

3. Sift the flour and carefully fold it into the mixture

4. Pour into the baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean.

Serve warm and drizzled with more honey or enjoy it cold. Either way it’s absolutely delicious!!!

And now a selection of links
Original post on the Baths Blog
The Roman Baths Blog