Homemade spice bread has nothing to do with the dry and disappointing industrial versions you find in stores. This soft spice bread recipe is one I've treasured for years: ultra-simple, without butter or eggs, and incredibly soft. With just a few basic ingredients and less than an hour of preparation, you'll get a spice-scented cake that will perfume your entire home.
Whether it's to accompany foie gras during the holidays, for afternoon snack with a cup of tea, or simply to comfort yourself on a winter's day, this spice bread will be your best ally. Its airy and soft texture, beautiful golden color and captivating aroma of honey and spices make it an essential classic pastry.
Ingredients for soft spice bread
Spice bread is a traditional travel cake made with flour, honey, milk, sugar and a blend of spices. Interesting feature: unlike most cakes, spice bread contains neither butter nor eggs. This is what gives it this particular texture and exceptional shelf life.
For this recipe, you will need:
- Whole wheat flour: brings a rustic and authentic taste
- Baking powder: for softness and lightness
- Brown sugar: its caramelized taste pairs perfectly with honey
- Honey: the star ingredient that gives spice bread its character
- Milk: provides the necessary moisture
- Spices: ginger and cinnamon for warm and comforting flavors
Which flour for spice bread?
This recipe uses whole wheat flour, which brings a little rustic taste and denser texture to spice bread. It's not mandatory, but I strongly recommend it for an authentic result.
You can also use:
- Classic T55 flour: for lighter spice bread
- Rye flour: for a traditional Alsatian version
- 50/50 mix of whole wheat and white flour: good compromise
- Spelt flour: for a more digestible version
Which honey for spice bread?
The choice of honey is crucial for the success of your spice bread. You can use almost any honey, but know that the stronger the taste of your honey (spruce, fir, chestnut), the more fragrant and characterful your spice bread will be.
My recommendations:
- Acacia honey: sweet and delicate, for subtle spice bread
- Forest honey: powerful and woody, very fragrant
- Fir honey: the most traditional for spice bread
- All-flower honey: balanced, good compromise
Tip: If your honey is crystallized or too hard, microwave it for a few seconds to liquefy it. It will be easier to incorporate into the batter.
Which spices for spice bread?
This recipe uses only ginger and cinnamon, for a balanced result and not too strong. It's perfect for accompanying foie gras or for children.
You can also add:
- Four spice blend: for a more complex version
- Star anise: for an anise touch
- Cardamom: for an oriental note
- Clove: for more power (sparingly)
- Nutmeg: for roundness
Important: Don't overdo it with the spices! Spice bread that's too strong will mask the taste of foie gras and be unpleasant to eat alone.
Spice bread and foie gras: the perfect pairing
Spice bread is the traditional accompaniment to foie gras, and for good reason: its softness, slight sweetness and spices enhance the richness of foie gras without masking it.
Which spice bread for foie gras?
There are two types of spice bread:
- Hard spice bread: biscuit version, used for decorative gingerbread men and houses
- Soft spice bread: cake version, ideal for foie gras
To accompany foie gras, always choose soft spice bread, not too strong in spices, to avoid masking the delicate flavors of foie gras.
How to serve spice bread with foie gras?
- Cut thin slices (about 5mm thick)
- You can lightly toast it for more crunch
- Serve at room temperature
- Plan for 2 to 3 slices per person
Extra soft spice bread
