German Lebkuchen Cake With White Chocolate Frosting

–CAKE–
3/4 c Unsalted butter; room
-temperature (1
; 1/2 sticks)
3/4 c Firmly packed golden brown
-sugar
1 tb Vanilla extract
1 1/4 ts Ground cinnamon
3/4 ts Ground cloves
3/4 ts Ground nutmeg
3/4 ts Ground allspice
1/2 ts Salt
2 lg Eggs; room temperature
1 3/4 c All purpose flour
1 1/2 ts Baking soda
3/4 ts Baking powder
2/3 c Half and half
1 tb Lemon juice
2/3 c Dried currants

FROSTING
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

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.)

12 Servings