Enjoy the delightful layers of flavors in this Honey Cake, where rich honey, warm spices, and luxurious chocolate create a symphony of taste and texture. Perfect for special occasions or as a decadent treat any time.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
Cake Batter
Gently melt honey with butter in a saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and cool to room temperature.
Whisk in eggs one at a time, gingerbread spice, and lemon zest (or chopped candied citrus peel) into the cooled mixture using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, at the highest setting.
Combine the flour with baking powder, cocoa, and salt in a mixing bowl. Sift the dry ingredients and add them to the wet ingredients in 3 batches, beating at medium speed.
Mix in the raisins and finely ground hazelnuts. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk, as needed, to get a batter consistency between that of cookie dough and cake batter. Tip: Do not overmix.
Spread the cake batter in the prepared baking pan, brush with remaining milk, and sprinkle with almond slices. Bake for about 20 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake.
Apricot Glaze
Heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water and cook it to a honey-like consistency. Spread it over the honey cake immediately after baking and let it cool.
Chocolate Icing
Melt chopped chocolate in a microwave (or over a double boiler). In the microwave, heat it for 30 seconds initially, followed by 15 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Stir in the coconut oil until it reaches a smooth consistency.
Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled cake and spread it evenly. Decorate the honey cake with walnut halves, hazelnuts, and sliced almonds as desired. Once the chocolate icing has set, cut the honey cake into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Measuring flour: Unpack and sift the flour before spooning into the measuring cup. Then level it with a spatula. If you follow this, 1 cup flour should be about 125 grams. Use weighing scale for accuracy.
Gingerbread spice: Combine ½ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, cloves, allspice, coriander seeds, cardamom, ginger, and ¼ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, mace, and star anise. Or use the spice blend we made for lebkuchen.
Adjust milk quantity in the batter to achieve the desired consistency. Do not over-bake the cake; a moist center is preferable.
Store the honey cake in an airtight container to maintain freshness. Layer parchment paper between slices to prevent sticking. You can keep it at room temperature for about 4 to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze the cake slices for longer-term storage. If freezing, ensure proper wrapping to prevent freezer burn. Thaw to room temperature before serving it.