RYE & HONEY CAKE WITH 5-SPICE POWDER & DATES Deborah Madison
Serves 8 to 10
When I made it with all rye flour, I found this French cake called a couque, too dry. Still, I liked its essential flavor and dark crumb, I finally came up with a cake that is moist, lush and still dark. To do this I gave up half the rye flour (I used Abruzzi rye) and replaced the rest with all-purpose organic flour, included melted butter, and kefir rather than water. Now it’s something different, but it’s a fine winter cake. It also has a little crunch from the turbinado sugar. Once you’ve served it as a cake, it makes a great piece of toast, with ricotta spread atop.
I bake this cake in an 8-inch fluted tart pan with 2-inch sides or in a round earthenware gratin dish. You can also use an 8 X 8-inch square pan. If the honey is stiff, put the jar in a saucepan of simmering water. After 15 minutes or maybe less, it should be quite pourable.
- 1 cup organic all-purpose flour
- 1 cup organic rye flour
- 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon 5-spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ½ to 2/3 cups honey
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 5 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup kefir or buttermilk
- 2/3 cup chopped Medjool dates, raisins, or currants
Heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour your baking pan.
Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir them together with a whisk to blend them well. Combine the honey, eggs, butter, and kefir in a second bowl, then pour it into the dry ingredients and quickly mix them together using a light touch. Add the fruit and fold it in. Bake in the center of the oven until a cake tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. If I’ve used a fluted tart type of pan, I gently push the cake, while hot from the oven, up from below, freeing its sides to cool as honey can be sticky and adhere the cake to the pan. In fact, gently lift the entire cake up, let the rim come off on your arm, and place it on a rack and leave it to cool.