Quadre Épices & Honey Cake Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch (20 cm) square cake pan or a 9-inch round pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cardamom, and ground cloves until evenly combined.

Cream butter and sugars

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or using a large bowl and hand mixer), beat the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Incorporate eggs and flavor

Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 20–30 seconds after each addition until incorporated. Mix in the honey and vanilla extract until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled—this is fine.

Combine wet and dry

With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half of the milk, then another third of the dry, then the yogurt (or sour cream), then the remaining dry, and finish with the remaining milk. Mix just until combined after each addition—do not overmix.

Bake

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 28–35 minutes depending on pan and oven. Start checking at 25 minutes.

Cool

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to lift the cake out and transfer it to the rack to cool completely before glazing (about another 30–40 minutes).

Warm the butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add the dark brown sugar and stir until sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling gently, about 2 minutes.

Carefully stir in the heavy cream and honey. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt. Taste and adjust salt or honey if desired.

If you prefer a thinner sauce for pouring, add 1–2 tablespoons more cream. Let the sauce cool slightly; it will thicken as it cools.

Place the cooled cake on a serving platter. Spoon or pour the warm (not piping hot) butterscotch sauce evenly over the top, allowing some to drip down the sides.

Scatter the toasted chopped pecans or walnuts over the sauced cake and sprinkle with a few flakes of sea salt for contrast. For a more indulgent serving, warm individual slices briefly and drizzle more sauce on top.

Slice into 9 squares (if using an 8-inch square pan) or 8–10 slices (if using a round pan). Serve at room temperature or slightly warm. Store any leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 10 days and reheat gently; store cake tightly covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.