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    Home » Desserts » Homemade Honey Spice Loaf Cake (without Apple Sauce)

    Homemade Honey Spice Loaf Cake (without Apple Sauce)

    Published: Nov 10, 2021 · Modified: Apr 30, 2022 by Mélanie · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Above view of a sliced spice cake on a wooden board and step by step pictures
    Sliced spice bread on a wooden board, 2 bottles of milk in the background
    side view of a sliced spice cake with butter spread on one of them. All set up on a wooden board
    close up of a slice of spice cake
    side view of spice cake on a wooden board wrapped with white paper
    side view of a sliced spice cake with butter spread on one of them. All set up on a wooden board
    close up of a slice of spice cake

    This honey spice loaf cake is a dense traditional French bread sweetened with honey & an aromatic blend of spices. This effortless loaf can be enjoyed for weeks as is, toasted with butter and with your coffee or tea. It's an eggless recipe that requires simple pantry ingredients and is so flavorful!

    The warmth of the spices will seduce your palate. Although, the aromatic smell in the kitchen would have taken all your senses already!

    Slice of dense spice bread with some butter, the perfect way to enjoy it.
    Jump to:
    • 🥣 Ingredients
    • 🥄 How To Make It
    • 📋 Variations
    • 💭 FAQ
    • 📖 Recipe: Honey Spice Loaf Cake

    Also called "pain d'épice" in France, this is typically eaten during Christmas time but really you can enjoy it all year round. Every year, I make it along with other seasonal recipes like my sweet Christmas bread, the French mendiants or my classic yule log.

    🥣 Ingredients

    Super simple ingredients and mainly in your panty:

    • All purpuse flour
    • Granulated sugar - white or brown sugar
    • Caraway or fennel seeds
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg
    • Baking powder
    • Honey, I use the organic one.
    • Warm milk
    The ingredients needed

    🥄 How To Make It

    Putting together this recipe is quite easy and quick. With minimal effort, you'll get this delicious bread with a compact texture. Because of its consistency, you might consider this loaf more of a bread.

    Back then, this cake was baked and kept in a dish towel for weeks.

    First, in a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. You may use a stand mixer if you wish. It will also work if you don't have one.

    Mix all the dry ingredients

    Next, add warm milk and honey to the bowl and mix well. As you can see in the picture below, you will get a wet texture.

    TIP: do not use cold or room temperature milk, the warmth will activate right away the gluten in the flour and give this bread-like texture to your loaf.

    Finally, in a butter oven-safe dish, cook the spice cake for 40 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle would come out dry.

    Pour the warm milk
    Mix all the ingredients

    📋 Variations

    Like any recipe, everyone has his own version and take. Some North American versions include apple sauce for moisture but this one is a French-inspired version.

    FLOUR: Traditionally, spice cake is a mix of rye flour and wheat flour. I choose to do it with wheat flour as it is a type we always have in our house.

    SPICES: You can play around depending on your favourite flavours.

    • If you wish you can double the half teaspoon ground cinnamon.
    • Nutmeg: I would not play around with that one as in high portion, it can be toxic. Stick to the half teaspoon ground nutmeg.
    • Vanilla extract: this is an option to add some.
    • Ground cloves: Again, personal preference, I did add any, you can.
    • Cadamon
    • Ginger

    MILK: You can use 1%, 2%, or 3,25%, it does not matter.

    HONEY: You can play around with some flavoured honey. I prefer to stay neutral though.

    Serving Suggestions:

    In my opinion, a little dust of confectioner sugar is perfect or a little butter if you are enjoying it with a cup of tea or coffee.

    If you wish to give it a more seasonal look for winter or Christmas, you can add a cream cheese frosting or a drizzle of caramel icing.

    The perfect snack with tea or coffee

    💭 FAQ

    How long can I store the cake?

    In a container or even wrapped in a tea towel, you can keep it for a good week, do not let it expose to the air otherwise it would dry. It needs to be somewhere somewhat fresh.

    Can I freeze the spice cake?

    Absolutely, if you think you will not eat it all, freeze it for later!

    So there are no eggs or butter in this cake recipe?

    Nope! There are different French spice cake versions and this one is the Pain d'épice de Reims. Whereas, the one from another region, Alsace, does have butter and eggs.

    Share a slice of honey spice cake

    More French Christmas Recipes:

    • Sweet Christmas Bread: A brioche-like texture with an orange flower aroma
    • French Mendiants: easy chocolate bark
    • Yule Log: a classic taken step-by-step
    • Chocolate Truffles: A 3-ingredient classic

    I highly recommend making my recipes using a scale but for your convenience, I have also converted the recipe using this website.

    close up of a slice of spice cake
    Print Recipe
    5 from 8 votes

    📖 Recipe: Honey Spice Loaf Cake

    Spice Cake is a dense traditional French bread sweetened with honey & an aromatic blend of spices. This effortless loaf can be enjoyed for weeks.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: French
    Servings: 10 thin slices
    Calories: 168kcal
    Author: Mélanie

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups flour 250g
    • ⅓ (generous) cup sugar 70g
    • ½ teaspoon caraway
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 6 tablespoon honey 125g
    • ¾ cup warm milk 200ml

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven at 400F.
    • Prepare and measure all your ingredients.
    • In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, caraway, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder.
    • Add in the warm milk and honey, mix until combine.
    • In an oven-proof and greased loaf pan, pour the batter.
    • Bake at 400F for 40 minutes or until the tip of your knife comes out dry from the centre of the cake.
    • Allow cooling to remove from the mold. Slice and enjoy!

    Notes

    Remember to check the FAQ before starting the baking as there a few helpful tips!
    petitporcini.com

    Nutrition

    Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BonAppetEat or tag #bonappeteat!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Julie says

      November 08, 2021 at 7:02 am

      5 stars
      I used to eat a cake similar to this when I was little! I want to give it a try!

      Reply
    2. Gloria says

      November 11, 2021 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      I remember my aunt making a honey spice cake when I was a kid. This sounds similar. I will give it a try. It was always a hit.

      Reply
    3. Gloria says

      November 11, 2021 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      Loving the sound of this cake. My aunt made something similar when I was a kid. It was always a hit. The perfect fall dessert.

      Reply
    4. Gail Montero says

      November 12, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      I love the addition of caraway seeds for that extra layer of flavor! Love this loaf with my cup of tea!

      Reply
    5. Natalie says

      November 14, 2021 at 6:34 am

      5 stars
      Beautiful loaf. I love how you added caraway seeds. Sounds very delicious. I'm going to add this to my baking list.

      Reply

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    Bonjour! I’m Mélanie! I hope you are hungry, I’m here to inspire you to create tasty weeknight meals & easy desserts!
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