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1 Comment Today I have a really fun recipe for you. At least, I think so. It’s a French honey spice cake, or pain d’épice.
I got this recipe from Arnaud’s mother. Who is Arnaud, you might be wondering? Whenever I visit Eva in France, I usually stay at Le Petit Cardinal, a lovely apartment in the center of Richelieu. I’ve stayed there many times, and the last time I visited, there was a delicious cake waiting for me. It had been baked by the mother of the apartment owner. So, obviously, I asked for the recipe.
Table of contents
Pain d’épice
I’ve had this recipe sitting around for a year, but last week I bought a gorgeous new Bundt pan (this one is from Nordic Ware!) and naturally I had to try it out. ChatGPT came to the rescue to translate the recipe, because my French is a little rusty. 😉
If you love spiced cakes too, make sure to try my spiced coffee cake with dates too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Technically, traditional pain d’épice is made without butter or eggs. I tried making it that way too, but I preferred the version made by Arnaud’s mother. So that’s the recipe I’m sharing here.
For completeness, I’ve also included a more traditional version in the notes of the recipe card.
Recipe Ingredients
This is a really simple cake to make. Check the recipe card for the exact quantities, but these are the main ingredients you’ll need.
- Flour – I used regular all-purpose flour. The more traditional version uses rye flour combined with regular flour.
- Honey – there’s quite a lot of honey in this recipe, so use a good-quality honey you really like. Its flavor makes a big difference here.
- Butter – the butter is melted before adding it to the batter.
- Milk – I was out of regular milk, so I used plant-based milk instead. That worked perfectly well too.
- Egg – I added one egg to the batter.
- Spices – you can play around with the spices and quantities. I used cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. A little anise seed would also be delicious. You could add nuts as well. I didn’t, because I was worried the cake wouldn’t come out of my fancy pan properly.
- Brown sugar – there’s a little brown sugar in the recipe as well. It adds extra flavor and helps keep the cake moist.
How To Make French Spiced Honey Cake
Start by adding the milk, butter, and honey to a small saucepan. Heat gently until the butter has melted and everything is well combined.
Measure the flour into a bowl and add the baking powder, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Pour in the milk mixture and whisk until combined.
Add the egg and stir until you have a smooth batter. Stop mixing as soon as everything is incorporated.
Grease your cake pan well or line it with parchment paper. Pour in the batter and bake for about 30 minutes at 320°F.
Note: If you’re using a detailed Nordic Ware Bundt pan like mine, greasing it thoroughly is extra important. I used melted butter and then dusted the pan with flour to make sure the cake would release properly.
How To Store Pain d’épice
Let the honey spice cake cool completely before wrapping it well or placing it in an airtight container. Store it at room temperature for a few days to keep it from drying out.
You can also freeze pain d’épice. I recommend slicing it first so you can take out individual portions whenever you want one. Well wrapped, it will keep in the freezer for about 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature.
FAQ French Honey Spice Cake
Check the cake after about 30 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached, the cake is done. If there’s still wet batter on the toothpick, bake it for a few more minutes. The exact baking time will depend on your oven and the pan you’re using.
Since this recipe uses a generous amount of honey, its flavor really comes through. Choose a honey you enjoy eating. A mild honey will give you a more subtle flavor, while a darker, stronger honey will be much more noticeable in the finished cake.
Absolutely. I used cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, but you can adjust the spices and quantities to suit your taste. Anise seed is also a delicious addition. Just be a little careful with cloves, as they can quickly overpower the other flavors.
Yes. Traditional pain d’épice is usually made without butter or eggs. I made that version too, but I preferred Arnaud’s mother’s version with butter and egg. You’ll find the more traditional variation in the notes of the recipe card.
Yes. Rye flour is commonly used in traditional pain d’épice and gives the cake a heartier texture and more pronounced flavor. You can replace part of the all-purpose flour with rye flour.
French Honey Spice Cake (Pain d’Épice)
Ingredients
- 250 g honey
- 100 ml warm milk
- 100 g butter melted
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 50 g brown sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
Equipment
- 10-inch cake or loaf pan 25 cm
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F/160˚C (conventional oven).
- Add the honey, milk, and butter to a small saucepan. Heat gently until the butter has melted and everything is well combined.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Pour the warm honey mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add the egg and mix until you have a smooth batter. Don’t overmix.
- Pour the batter into a well-greased pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
Notes
Traditional pain d’épice
The recipe above is the version I got from Arnaud’s mother, made with butter, egg, and a little brown sugar. For a more traditional pain d’épice, you can leave those out. This version relies on honey for its sweetness and can also be made with a combination of rye flour and all-purpose flour. For the traditional version, use:- 250 g honey
- 250 g all-purpose flour, or 125 g rye flour + 125 g all-purpose flour
- 100 ml milk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp anise seed
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Super easy to make and I love it with all the spices!