Pain D'Epices (French Spice Cake)
Pain D'Epices is the French version of gingerbread: flavored with honey, orange, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. This spice cake is incredibly moist, chewy and flavorful. Topped with cream cheese frosting for some extra fun! Bonus point? It gets even more flavorful on day 2, making it the perfect make-ahead Holiday cake!
Ingredients
For The Pain D Epices
- 3/4 cups (250 g) honey (liquid or melted until liquid and cooled to almost room temperature - do not allow to boil)
- 3/4 cups + 1 tbsp (250 g) orange jam
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 7 tbsp (100 ml) milk (cow or soy - room temperature)
- 3 tbsp (20 ml) sunflower oil (or vegetable, or canola)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For Decorating (optional)
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 2-3 tbsp (57 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 wafer cookie (cut in half)
- 1 stick cinnamon (cut)
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/4 cup (23 g) shredded coconut
Makes: 8inch round
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C).
- Combine the honey and orange jam in a large bowl. If your honey isn't liquid melt it until liquid (but do not allow it to boil) and then add in the jam and stir until combined.
- Sift the flour and baking powder and salt into the honey mixture.
- Add the remaining ingredients: milk, oil, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt and mix until just combined.
- Bake. Pour into your prepared pan and bake until brown on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until brown on top. To test for doneness, poke the center of the cake with a toothpick, if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, it's done. Allow to come down to room temperature and frost or enjoy as is. This cake gets even more flavorful on day 2 or 3 so it's a great make-ahead Holiday cake!
- Frost. Only frost when ready to serve. Combine cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Mix until combined and fluffy and frost the cake using an off-set spatula, a knife, or the back of a spoon.
- Decorate. To make the snowy house, spread some of the frosting on the wafer and place them on the cake. To make the snowy logs, spread some of the frosting on the cinnamon sticks and place them close the house. To make the trees, insert the sprigs into the cake to secure them in place, then place any extra sprigs over the cake to represent bushes. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Serve!
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions. This cake gets even more flavorful on day 2 or 3 so it's a great make-ahead Holiday cake! You should only frost this cake when you're ready to serve it as the frosting needs to be refrigerated and the cake will dry up a bit once chilled so make sure you bake it, store at room temperature for a day (ideally) or two, then frost when ready to enjoy it.
Storing Instructions. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days (unfrosted). If frosted, store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week but keep in mind that the cake will dry up a bit when refrigerated so only frost it when you're ready to serve it.
Nutrition
Calories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 122mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 2gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 406IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 2mg
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