Buttery Honey Cake

This came from my Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Desserts cookbook that Erica got me.  Kennedy decided she wanted to make a birthday cake for Jesus this year.  Bake?  Cook?  I'm ALL in!  Immediately I figured it would be a great opportunity to a) eat birthday cake for breakfast, b) have breakfast cooked in advance, and c) start a new family tradition.  So, I started looking for a "cake" recipe that was suitable for breakfast and would, at the same time, suffice for a "birthday cake" in the kids' minds.  After all, there is no rule that says it couldn't be a COFFEE cake.  Right?  Kennedy helped me to look through cookbooks and this is the one we finally decided on.  It was delicious!!!  We served it with a side of fruit and a dallop of cool whip.  We even stuck a big, fat candle in it, lit it, sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, and let the kids blow it out!  GOOD TIMES!

1 box (18.25 ounce) classic yellow cake mix

1 cup water

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup margarine, melted

1/3 cup poppy seeds

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour 10-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides.

2. Combine cake mix, water, 1/3 cup of honey, margarine, poppy seeds, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice in large bowl.  Beat for 2 minutes or until well blended.  Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes.  Invert cake onto cooling rack and cool completely.

4. Using wooden or metal skewer, poke about 20 small holes all over top of cake.  Drizzle the 1/4 cup of honey over cake, allowing honey to sink into holes.  Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

My notes:

I didn't have a 10-inch pan with 2-inch sides.  I used 2 9-inch pans with 1-inch sides and stacked 'em.  I poked holes in one cake, drizzled with honey and then did the same thing to a second layer.

I substituted butter for margarine.

I poked about 40 holes with the wooden skewer.  I didn't measure the honey I drizzled on the cake.  I had honey in a squeeze bottle and figured I could just eyeball it and get pretty close.  So, I just squeezed until it looked right to me.  (o: