Grandmothers’ Honey Cake

Preparation

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325°F. Butter or spray an 8½-inch loaf pan and run a piece of parchment paper across the bottom and up the long sides, leaving enough of an overhang to use as lifters when the cake is baked; give the paper a swipe of butter or a spritz of spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
3. Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and honey together on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes, scraping as needed. With the mixer on medium-low speed, drizzle the oil down the side of the bowl and beat until incorporated. Do the same with the coffee (or cola). Turn off the mixer, scrape the bowl and beater(s), and add the dry ingredients. Pulse the mixer on and off to get the blending started, then work on low speed, beating only until everything is worked in and the batter is homogeneous. Pour the batter into the pan, level the top if needed, and scatter over the sliced almonds—I like a single(ish) layer of almonds paving the top of the cake.
4. Bake for 48 to 53 minutes, or until the cake feels springy to the touch and pulls away a bit from the sides when lightly tugged; a tester inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake rest for 15 minutes, then run a table knife around the edges of the cake, lift it out of the pan, and peel away the paper. Allow it to cool to room temperature on the rack.
5. This cake is good as soon as it’s cooled, but it’s even better after a day. If you can wait, wrap the cake, set it aside overnight, and then treat yourself to a slice. Lovely on its own, it’s also nice with butter and honey, jam, or even a soft cheese like mild cream cheese or a more flavorful chevre. And of course it’s nice toasted—but wait until it’s a bit stale to do that.
6. Storing: Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for about 5 days—it makes great toast after that. It can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 1 month; thaw in the wrapper.
7. A word on the honey: The honey you use is up for grabs; just know that even a mild honey will give you great flavor. A word on the coffee: You can use either brewed coffee or make the coffee with instant. Ellen told me that the cake is often made with flat cola (I can’t imagine what my grandmother would have to say about this), but not any cola—according to Ellen, it has to be Coke.

---

Recipe from Dorie’s Anytime Cakes by Dorie Greenspan. Copyright 2025 by Dorie Greenspan. Used with permission by Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins. All rights reserved. Illustrations by Nancy Pappas.