Intense, dark, and a little dangerous – I love pain d’épices, a French honey spice cake that can be seamlessly paired with savory or sweet flavors.
It’s also a modern holiday favorite, often served with foie gras, salted butter, jam, or just on its own – a thick slice with a strong cup of tea.
The spice cake keeps well and actually tastes even better after a few days. But if you want to make it even more festive (all of that powdered sugar, notwithstanding), and completely nontraditional, this would also be delightful soaked through with something boozy and fresh.
I’m testing a handful of holiday dessert recipes so, hold on, there is a lot of temptation coming up.
Pain d’épices
(adapted from David Lebovitz)
You’ll need:
- 3/4 cup of honey
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- pinch of salt
- 1 2/3 cups AP flour
- 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 2 t allspice
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1 t ground ginger
- 1/2 t ground cloves
- butter
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a bundt pan (or a regular cake or bread tin – that I would also line with parchment paper).
2. On the stove, heat honey, brown sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan just until boiling. Lower heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and briskly stir in 1 cup of flour, set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining flours, baking powder, baking soda, and all the spices. Add spices aggressively for this cake!
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the two eggs and set aside.
Once the honey mixture has cooled, mix it in gradually into the flour mixture, add the eggs, and stir together with a wooden spoon or a spatula just until smooth.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing. 
Decorate top with powdered sugar – sifted through a stencil here, for example – for extra festive cheer.
Oh but this looks and sounds delicious! I am really interested in the added buckwheat flour, as that is a favorite. Everything about this appeals to me, Ksenia, and I think this could easily become a “go to” recipe for my family. I love cakes that can almost substitute as a bread with tea or light refreshment. It’s beautiful, too. I don’t think I’ll be waiting for the holidays to bake this. 🙂
I think – I’m sure, actually, from what it sounds like! – that you will really enjoy this, Debra. It’s such a versatile and enjoyable cake/bread to bake and have around.
I love Lebovitz’ My Paris Kitchen. Pain d’épices is one of the recipes I’ve got bookmarked to try. Your version looks so elegant and festive with its dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
Thanks so much, Teresa!
This looks beautiful Ksenia, I’ve never heard of it myself (I actually don’t know that many traditional French cakes, embarrassingly!) but it’s really interesting that it’s served with foie gras at times. I think I can imagine how the sweetness would compliment the rich creaminess. I’d love to try it one day 🙂 I hope that you have a wonderful start to the festive season… it’s getting very warm over here which is strange after leaving the Northern Hemisphere! Sending you heaps of hugs xxx
Oh I love it with foie gras. I think that’s a more “modern” French thing to do, rather just enjoy the cake as a tea accompaniment, but I think it goes so well with creamy, savory flavors. Can’t quite believe that it’s Christmas so soon…!! xx
Are you still in France now. What a huge inspiration for your dishes. This cake looks so moist rich and delicious.
Thank you, Bam! I am back in New York now, for Thanksgiving, and everyone is coming here for once!
Love the look of this festive loaf/cake K! It’s so rich & decadent with those beautiful spices and deep hue. Truly lovely xo
Thank you, Alice! Starting to feel a bit like Christmas over here haha xx