Dutch Honey Cake (Honingkoek)

This delicious loaf is also known as breakfast cake. It’s suitable for dairy-free individuals. The texture is somewhat closer to bread than a cake, and is typically enjoyed with lashings of butter. It’s easy to make, chewy, lightly spiced, low in fat, and the flavor only gets better with time.

It was J (not surprisingly) who introduced me to this cake. It’s easily available in Europe (again, not surprisingly), and there are many variants in the shops, including one with stem ginger. We loved them all!

My in-laws were over from the Netherlands in early December 2010, and honingkoek was on our “wish list”. However, they stocked up so much on stroopwafels (syrup waffles), speculaas (spiced biscuits (cookies)), chocolate letters, banket (almond paste filled pastry roll) and Dutch licorice that they forgot.

We could purchase it online, but the shipping costs are ridiculous. We could also pop over to Whidbey Island to raid the Dutch shop there, but I decided to try making one instead. The result is pretty good... both J, and I ate so much that we were too full to enjoy dinner!

DUTCH HONEY CAKE (HONINGKOEK)
Makes one 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) cake, about 24 slices
Adapted from Esurientes - Dutch Honeycake

Ingredients
500 g (3 ⅓ c) self raising flour*^
4 t ground cinnamon
¾ t ground cloves
1 t freshly grated nutmeg
150 g (¾ c) brown sugar
200 g (½ c and 1 ½ T) honey
400 ml (1 ½ c and 2 ⅔ T ) soy milk**

* Self-raising flour can be made by combining 150 g (1 c) plain (all-purpose) flour with 1 t baking powder
^ White flour can be substitued for half wholemeal (whole wheat): half white
** Mammalian (if not dairy-free) or other milk alternative can be used instead of soy milk

Method
1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Grease or line a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) square baking tin (pan) with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and brown sugar.

3. In another bowl, mix together honey and soy milk.

4. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just incorporated.

5. Pour into prepared tin (pan) and bake in the middle of the oven for 60 minutes or until a inserted skewer comes out clean.

6. Let cool before slicing and enjoying. If storing, wrap in foil and store at room temperature or freeze. Enjoy fresh, or toasted with or without butter.