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Orange-Spiced Rye Honey Cake

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Dark brown honey cake topped with orange rinds on a white cake stand.
Photo by Lauren Volo

Honey cake emerges from its hibernation around the High Holidays in the fall, when honey and other sweet foods are eaten to usher in a sweet new year. But as much as this is an early fall cake for the holidays, its warming spices make it a perfect winter cake that works both for dessert and in the morning with a cup of coffee.

Cooks' Note

The rye flour adds a rustic feel, a feature of older Jewish and rural French honey cake recipes. Try cutting out the sugar altogether if you prefer a more subtle sweetness. We often bake our honey cake in a loaf pan, but for special occasions, a Bundt pan looks beautiful. If using a standard 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan, you’ll need to double this recipe, and let it cool for an hour before removing it from the pan.

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