Traditional Pain d'Epice -Honey Spice Cake- Recipe

Adapted from "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier (Broadway Press)

Note the grocery-store variety Pain D'Epice - this classic French tea bread, when made right, is moist and delicious. Make it a day ahead to give the spices a chance to bloom.

When you are cooking with honey, you want to focus mostly on flavor - as opposed to the health benefits of the honey which will largely be lost in the cooking.  For this recipe, we recommend a more floral honey, like a traditional Lavendar Honey or Ohi'a Lehua, or a more citrus-y honey, like Citrus Blossom honey. I would avoid the more powerful honeys, like Chestnut or Oak Tree Honey, as they can overwhelm the flavor of the cake. Then again, if you like those flavors, you might want to experiment with them. It's really up to you.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5 inch pan with oil, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Combine milk, honey and molasses in a small saucepan. Set over medium heat and heat the mixture without boiling, stirring with a spatula until dissolved. Set aside and let cool as you go on with the recipe.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a small bowl, combine orange peel, if using, with 2 teaspoons of the flour mixture and set aside.

4. Form a well in the center of the four mixture. Pour in the milk mixture slowly and whisk in a circular motion, starting from the center, until all the flour has been incorporated -- the batter will be thin. Fold in the orange peel, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the surface is brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the last, and unmold. Let cool completely, wrap in foil, and let rest at room temperature until the next day.

Serves 10