Spiced Honey Cake: Traditional Pain d’Épices Recipe

Warm, aromatic spices dance through this classic pain d’épices recipe, weaving a tapestry of comfort and tradition.

French holiday bakers have long treasured these delectable honey-infused loaves bursting with complex flavor profiles.

Fragrant cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves mingle effortlessly with rich honey, creating a sensory experience that transports you to cozy Parisian kitchens.

Each slice tells a story of culinary heritage, promising deep warmth and subtle sweetness in every bite.

The robust blend of spices intertwines with smooth honey, developing a deeply satisfying treat that feels both rustic and refined.

Baking this bread fills your home with an irresistible aroma that beckons friends and family to gather around.

Let’s find out this delightful recipe and let the magic of pain d’épices enchant your senses.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Calories: 246 kcal

Servings: 9

Pain d’Épices Ingredient Highlights

• Rye Flour: Gives a robust, nutty base with hearty texture that makes the bread uniquely dense and flavorful.
• Honey: Provides natural sweetness and helps create a moist, tender crumb with deep golden color.
• Sugar: Enhances caramelization and adds extra sweetness to balance the spices.

• Butter: Softened butter creates a rich, smooth texture and adds luxurious depth to the bread.
• Milk: Helps create a soft, tender crumb and supports the chemical reactions during baking.
• Egg: Binds ingredients together and contributes to the bread's structure and richness.

• Ground Ginger: Brings warm, zesty kick that is quintessential to traditional pain d'épices flavor.
• Ground Cinnamon: Adds sweet, woody warmth that complements the bread's rustic character.
• Ground Cloves: Provides intense, aromatic spiciness that deepens the overall flavor profile.
• Ground Nutmeg: Contributes subtle, sweet-woody note that rounds out the spice blend.
• Baking Soda: Helps the bread rise and creates a tender, light texture.
• Baking Powder: Provides additional lift and ensures even rising throughout the loaf.
• Salt: Enhances and balances all the complex flavors in the bread.

Tools to Bake Traditional Pain d’Épices

• Loaf Pan: Essential for shaping and baking the bread, line with baking paper or grease with butter.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Needed for combining dry ingredients and creating the batter.
• Handheld Beater or Stand Mixer: Critical for blending ingredients smoothly and incorporating milk, sugar, and egg.
• Paddle Attachment: Helps mix ingredients evenly if using a stand mixer.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Crucial for accurate ingredient measurements.
• Skewer or Toothpick: Used to check bread doneness by testing the center.
• Spoon: Helps level the batter in the pan and smooth the top surface.

Steps for Making Pain d’Épices at Home

• Oven Preparation Warmth and comfort start with the right temperature. Set your oven to a cozy 150°C, creating the perfect environment for baking magic.
• Flour Power Create a flavor foundation by combining rye flour with an aromatic blend of warming spices. Let the ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg dance together in a mixing bowl.
• Sweet Liquid Gold Drizzle honey into the dry ingredients, allowing its golden richness to transform the mixture into a fragrant paste that hints at the deliciousness to come.
• Creamy Fusion Gently introduce milk, sugar, and egg into the batter. Use a mixer to blend everything into a smooth, silky consistency that promises a tender crumb.
• Butter Finale Fold in softened butter and a pinch of salt, stirring until the batter becomes perfectly harmonious and glossy.
• Pan and Bake Transfer the batter into a prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a gentle touch. Let the oven work its transformative magic for about 45 minutes.
• Doneness Check Insert a skewer into the center of the bread. When it comes out clean, your spice bread has reached baking perfection – ready to fill your kitchen with warmth and amazing aromas.

Enhancing and Personalizing Pain d’Épices

• Experiment with fresh grated ginger or orange zest to intensify the bread's warm, aromatic profile and add a vibrant citrusy undertone.
• Wrap the pain d'épices tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, allowing the spices to develop deeper flavors over time.
• Replace rye flour with a gluten-free blend or almond flour for those with wheat sensitivities, maintaining the rich, complex spice character of the traditional recipe.
• Elevate the experience by toasting thin slices and serving with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, a drizzle of honey, or alongside a steaming cup of chai tea for a luxurious treat.
• Add chopped dried fruits like candied orange peel, dried apricots, or crystallized ginger to introduce exciting texture and enhance the bread's natural spiciness.

Elegant Ways to Serve Pain d’Épices

• Cozy Breakfast Companion: Slice this warm pain d'épices and pair it with a creamy ricotta spread for a luxurious morning treat that melts in your mouth.
• Elegant Afternoon Tea Partner: Serve thin, delicate slices alongside a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea, allowing the spices to complement the bergamot notes perfectly.
• Sweet Dessert Transformation: Toast lightly and drizzle with dark chocolate sauce or spread a thin layer of apricot jam to elevate this traditional French bread into a delightful after-dinner indulgence.
• Wine Pairing Delight: Match this spiced bread with a glass of late harvest Gewürztraminer wine, where the sweet and aromatic qualities enhance each other's complex flavor profiles.

Planning, Storing, and Sharing Pain d’Épices

• Smart Meal Scheduling: Bake this spiced bread on weekends when you have extra time, perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea preparations.
• Refrigeration Strategy: Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, storing it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain moisture and freshness.
• Freezing Technique: Slice the bread before freezing, placing parchment paper between layers. Store in a sealed freezer bag for maximum 3 months, allowing easy single-slice defrosting.
• Room Temperature Trick: Keep the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, ensuring the rich honey and spice flavors remain vibrant and delicious.

Savory Pain Épices Recipe

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• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 9 1x

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Description

Moroccan pain d’épices blends warming spices in a luscious bread that celebrates North African culinary traditions. Fragrant notes of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves create a complex profile that invites you to savor each delectable slice.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) rye flour
• ⅔ cup (225 g) honey
• ½ cup (115 g) butter, softened
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
• 3 tbsps sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch salt

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Warm the oven to 150°C (300°F) and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper or butter the surface to prevent sticking.
2. Dry Ingredients Fusion: Merge rye flour, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl, ensuring thorough and uniform distribution of spices.
3. Liquid Integration: Fold honey into the spiced flour mixture, then gradually blend milk, granulated sugar, and egg using an electric mixer on low speed to maintain a smooth, consistent batter.
4. Butter Incorporation: Introduce softened butter and a pinch of salt, continuing to mix until the batter achieves a silky, homogeneous texture without lumps.
5. Baking Process: Gently pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula to eliminate air pockets and ensure an even bake.
6. Oven Transformation: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center – it should come out clean without raw batter residue.
7. Cooling and Serving: Remove from the oven and let the pain d’épices cool completely in the pan before slicing, allowing the flavors to settle and the texture to stabilize.

Notes

• Flour Finesse: Use freshly ground rye flour for the most authentic and robust flavor profile, enhancing the traditional French spice bread’s depth.
• Honey Harmony: Select high-quality, dark honey like buckwheat or chestnut to intensify the bread’s rich, complex taste and provide natural sweetness.
• Spice Calibration: Toast whole spices briefly before grinding to unlock their essential oils, creating a more vibrant and aromatic pain d’épices.
• Temperature Tip: Allow ingredients to reach room temperature before mixing, ensuring smoother batter integration and more consistent baking results.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 9
• Calories: 246
• Sugar: 17 g
• Sodium: 172 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 36 mg