In a small frying pan, toast the cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, anise seeds, cloves and peppercorns over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just starting to darken slightly. Allow to cool slightly, then grind in a pestle and mortar until very fine. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4. Grease a 1.5 litre bundt pan or cake mould or 20x10cm loaf tin with the butter (if using a loaf tin, also line with a strip of baking paper that hangs over each of the two long sides by approx. 5cm).
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, add the orange zest, lemon zest, ginger, nutmeg and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift 125g of the flour with the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground spices. For the best flavour, regrind any large spice pieces, then resift and add them. In a large pan, combine 180g water with the honeyvand brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to encourage the sugar to melt. Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and sift the remaining flour over the mixture, whisking vigorously, and adding just a little at a time, so the batter doesn’t become lumpy. Stir until the flour is completely incorporated.
Slowly add the honey mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Sift the spiced flour mixture over the honey and egg mixture, whisking it in a little at a time to avoid any lumps, until all the dry ingredients have been added and incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown, domed in the centre and firm to the touch. Remove the tin from the oven, invert on to a cooling rack and gently release the cake from the tin. If using a loaf tin, allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then use the overhanging paper to lift and transfer it on to the rack. Let it cool to room temperature before dusting with icing sugar to serve. (It isn’t traditional to dust the loaf version with icing sugar, but it’s up to you.)
Store any leftover cake, covered, for up to 2 days.
Recipes and photographs taken from French at Heart by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, photography by Anson Smart, (Abrams, £30)
