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Recipe: Spiced Honey Cake

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By: Susan Salzman
October 2024

Recipe: Spiced Honey Cake

I never quite understood the widespread affection for honey cake until I decided to make one myself. As a child, I found honey cake rather unexciting; it often struck me as dry, and I tended to notice the spices more than the honey’s sweetness.

In my quest to create a recipe that resonated with me, I began experimenting with various versions, carefully noting the aspects I appreciated in each. These insights guided me in developing my own unique recipe.

Over the past few years, I have been crafting individual cakes and shipping them to loved ones across the country. To my delight, I discovered that this honey cake maintains its flavor beautifully even after three days in transit—perhaps even improving with time. Give it a try during Rosh Hashanah, the High Holidays, or any time of the year!

 

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz | 1 cup neutral oil
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
    1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 6 oz | 3/4 cup brewed coffee
  • 1 tbsp. grated orange zest (2 oranges)
  • 100 grams |3.5 oz | 1/2 cup sugar
  • 250 grams | 8 1/4 oz |1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
  • 490 grams | 17.5 oz | 3 1/2 cups AP flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups organic honey, divide
  • 6 oz | 3/4 cup apple cider
  • 1/3 cup whiskey
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 3 tbsp crystalized ginger, chopped

Method:

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 10″ tube pan with oil.
  • Mix cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger in a large bowl. Add coffee and whisk to combine.
  • Grate orange zest into sugar and mix with a fork.
  • Add brown sugar and combine.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder,  and baking soda.
  • Add 1 1/4 cup of honey, oil, cider, and whiskey to the coffee mixture and whisk to combine.
  • Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, beat eggs until frothy.
  • Add sugar mixture and beat until combined and smooth (about 4 minutes).
  • Reduce speed and wet ingredients until combined.
  • In batches, add the flour mixture. 
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack for an hour until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes then invert on to rack and let completely.

 

Glaze:

  • Poke holes in the top of the cake
  • Warm the remaining 3/4 cup of honey in a small saucepan. Pour the glazes over the cake, making sure it runs down the sides of the cake!