350°
35 - 40 min

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ cups honey
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups milk
2/3 cups vegetable shortening, oil or butter
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 tablespoons poppyseeds
¾ cup carob or chocolate chips

Set out eggs before gathering other ingredients. Preheat your oven.

Into a large bowl combine well the flour, baking powder, sea salt, poppy seeds and chips. At this point, I like to oil and flour my pans.

In a separate bowl mix eggs, honey, milk (you can substitute a combination of yogurt and water or experiment with soy or rice milk), your choice of oil (each will impart a slightly different texture and flavor), and vanilla.

Next, pour egg mixture into flour mixture and beat by hand about 225 strokes or with a blender for 2 minutes. The amount of humidity in the air or quality of dryness changes the overall outcome. Be mindful and don't' over beat. If the batter looks good, don't feel compelled to go for the exact number of strokes, and if you need to give it a few more.

Pour batter into two cake pans.* Place them side by side on the top oven rack, check the clock, set timer for 25 or 30 minutes for an early check in on the cake. If your oven heats unevenly, turn cakes and visually check for doneness. You can tell hen the cake sets up, it fills the house with sweet cake fragrance.

Use toothpick to check for doneness. Set pans on cake rack for 15 minutes then remove cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly, then ice with a cream cheese honey frosting or what every you like.

*Alternative - Quick Chocolate Frosting. After pouring batter into cake pans, sprinkle chocolate or carob chips over the top. I try to really cover the top. Bake the cake as instructed above. When you remove the cakes from the over, spread the hot chocolate chips over the top of your cake.