Quatre Épices & Honey Cake Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment; butter the parchment.

Cream butter and sugars

In a large bowl using a stand mixer with paddle or a handheld mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter (1 cup) with the light brown sugar (1 cup) and granulated sugar (1 tablespoon) on medium-high until light, fluffy and slightly paler, about 3–4 minutes.

Add eggs and flavorings

Beat in the eggs one at a time, 20–30 seconds each, scraping down the bowl between additions. Add the honey (1 tablespoon) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) and mix until combined.

Combine dry ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour (2 cups), baking powder (1 teaspoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon) and quatre épices (1 teaspoon) until evenly distributed.

Alternate dry and wet

With the mixer on low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter-egg mixture, then add half of the buttermilk (3/8 cup). Repeat: another third of dry, remaining buttermilk, then finish with the remaining dry. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain — do not overmix.

Transfer and bake

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the top is golden. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even browning.

Cool before glazing

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then invert onto the rack and remove the parchment. Let cool another 10 minutes (cake should be warm, not hot) before adding the warm butterscotch glaze so it absorbs into the crumb.

Make the butterscotch

While the cake bakes or in the last 10 minutes of cooling, combine dark brown sugar (3/4 cup), unsalted butter (4 tablespoons) and heavy cream (1/2 cup) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.

Finish and flavor

Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in honey (1 tablespoon), sea salt (1/4 teaspoon) and vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon). Taste and adjust salt or honey if you prefer a sweeter or more salted butterscotch. If the glaze seems too thin, return to low heat for 1 minute, stirring; if too thick, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of warm cream or milk.

Glaze the cake

Place the warm (not hot) cake on a plate or cake stand with a rim to catch drips. Spoon the butterscotch evenly over the top, allowing some to run down the sides. For deeper soak, gently poke the warm cake surface with a skewer or fork in several spots before pouring the glaze so it penetrates the crumb.

Set and serve

Let the glazed cake sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes so the glaze sets and flavors meld. Serve slices warm or at room temperature. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; bring to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.