German Lebkuchen Cake With White Chocolate Frosting

The fall of man has created a perpetual crisis. It will last until sin has been put down and Christ reigns over a redeemed and restored world. Until that time the earth remains a disaster area and its inhabitants live in a state of extraordinary emergency. To me it has always been difficult to understand those evangelical Christians who insist upon living in the crisis as if no crisis existed. They say they serve the Lord, but they divide their days so as to leave plenty of time to play and loaf and enjoy the pleasures of the world as well. They are at ease while the world burns.

A.W. Tozer

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Eggs, Dairy	German	December 19	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

2		Oranges, up to 3
1/2	c	Honey
2/3	c	Orange juice
3/4	c	Unsalted butter, room
		temperature 1
		1/2 sticks
3/4	c	Firmly packed golden brown
		sugar
1	T	Vanilla extract
1 1/4	t	Ground cinnamon
3/4	t	Ground cloves
3/4	t	Ground nutmeg
3/4	t	Ground allspice
1/2	t	Salt
2		Eggs, room temperature
1 3/4	c	All purpose flour
1 1/2	t	Baking soda
3/4	t	Baking powder
2/3	c	Half and half
1	T	Lemon juice
2/3	c	Dried currants
12	oz	Imported white chocolate
		such as Lindt
		chopped
1	c	Unsalted butter, room
		temperature 2
		sticks
12	oz	Cream cheese, room
		temperature
3	c	Toasted sliced almonds
		Orange slices or orange peel
		ribbon
		Servings

INSTRUCTIONS

For syrup:  Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from
oranges in  strips. Mince enough peel to measure 4 tablespoons. Mix
honey, orange  juice and 2 tablespoons orange peel (reserve remaining 2
tablespoons  peel for cake) in heavy medium saucepan. Boil until
reduced to 3/4  cup, about 10 minutes. Set honey syrup aside.  For
cake:  Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 9-inch square baking pan with
2-inch-high  sides. Line bottom with waxed paper. Butter paper. Dust
pan with  flour. Using electric mixer, beat first 8 ingredients in
large bowl  until fluffy. Mix in reserved 2 tablespoons minced orange
peel. Add  eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift
flour,  baking soda and baking powder into medium bowl. Mix half and
half and  lemon juice in small bowl. Beat dry ingredients alternately
with half  and half mixture into butter mixture, beginning and ending
with dry  ingredients. Mix in currants. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake  until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50
minutes. (Cake will not rise to top of pan.) Cool cake 20 minutes.  Run
small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen. Turn cake out onto  rack;
cool. Peel off paper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover syrup and  cake
separately and let stand at room temperature.)  For frosting:  Melt
chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring
occasionally until smooth. Cool to barely luke warm. Using electric
mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until light. Add chocolate and  1/4
cup honey syrup and beat until smooth and light. Chill until  thick
enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.  Cut cake
horizontally in half. Place bottom layer cut side up on  platter. Brush
with 1/4 cup honey syrup. Spread 1 1/4 cups frosting  over. Brush
remaining 1/4 cup syrup over cut side of top cake layer.  Place cake
cut side down atop filled layer. Set aside 2/3 cup  frosting for
garnish. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of  cake. Press
almonds around sides. Spoon remaining 2/3 cup frosting  into pastry bag
fitted with small star tip. Pipe frosting  decoratively around top edge
of cake. Chill cake until frosting sets,  about 1 hour. Garnish with
orange slices. (Can be prepared 1 day  ahead. Cover and chill. Let
stand 2 hours at room temperature before  serving.)  Bon Appetit
December 1991  Converted by MC_Buster.  Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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