Say it with me: Ontbijtkoek! Can’t pronounce it either? Well, don’t worry – let’s still make this traditional Dutch Honey Breakfast Cake! It’s so easy to whip up at home, one of my all-time favorites!
I have a few Dutch friends, and because one of them is a chef I’ve been treated to many specialties. The Ontbijtkoek is definitely by far my favorite of them all. And the Stroopwaffels…. But they’re a little harder to make at home, so I’m sticking to my honey cake.
As you can see from the photos, this cake is dark and rich with lots of spices and hearty rye flour. If you happen to have an egg allergy, this is a naturally egg-free recipe! And also a bread you can bake without yeast, in case you happen to be out.
Tips and tricks
- when you warm the wet ingredients, please really do just gently warm them until they’re completely runny. Do not boil them.
- do not use blackstrap molasses, they are too bitter. Regular dark molasses like the ones used for gingerbread are the right kind.
- if you don’t have all the individual spices the recipe calls for, use 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and 1.5 teaspoons of either pumpkin pie or apple pie spice mix.
- unlike American-style quick breads, this one is meant to be sliced into fairly thin slices. And since the bread is baked without any added fat… most definitely serve it slathered with butter ?
Just a final word of advice: Better have the ingredients on hand to make a second loaf straight away. This one vanishes FAST! It’s most definitely a treat any day of the year, but especially so during the holiday season.
More bread recipes
You can also browse all of my quick bread recipes here, or all of my baking recipes here.
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Ontbijtkoek (Dutch Honey Breakfast Cake)
Recipe details
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups rye flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground anise
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup molasses NOT blackstrap!
- ¾ cup milk plus extra for brushing
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
- Warm wet ingredients: Place wet ingredients in a small saucepan and gently warm over medium heat.
- Make batter: Add the warmed wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix using a rubber spatula until a sticky batter forms.
- Finish and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and flatten the surface. Lightly brush the top with milk. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan and serve warm or cold with butter.
Notes
- when you warm the wet ingredients, please really do just gently warm them until they’re completely runny. Do not boil them.
- do not use blackstrap molasses, they are too bitter. Regular dark molasses like the ones used for gingerbread are the right kind.
- if you don’t have all the individual spices the recipe calls for, use 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and 1.5 teaspoons of either pumpkin pie or apple pie spice mix.
- unlike American-style quick breads, this one is meant to be sliced into fairly thin slices. And since the bread is baked without any added fat… most definitely serve it slathered with butter ?
Ello says
We used to eat Dutch spice bread on special occasions when I was a child. I’m having trouble finding it commercially these days so I’m working my way through the recipes on-line. Your recipe has a nice taste due to its good spice balance. It’s a little stiffer than what I remember from my childhood, so next time I cook it, I may reduce the rye flour some. On the other hand, that stiffness means it can support a delicious PB&J sandwich where a more moist and floppy bread would crumble.
Karin says
amazing flavor and exactly how I remember it. Though not exactly the texture I remember. Still very good and I will definitely make it again.
Nora says
Karin, glad you liked the flavor! This is a recipe I need to test again to get the right texture. Although it may be a case of differentiating between the Dutch Ontbijtkoek and the French Pain d’Épices… I’m not sure, but I will research!
Tracy says
Is it 350 Celsius or Fahrenheit?
Nora says
Fahrenheit! Sorry, this is one of my oldest recipe posts (going on a decade!) and it’s hard to keep track of them sometimes. I’m in the process of updating a lot of old recipes, but this one is still waiting. Fixed the temperature mistake just now – thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Jos says
Do you have to use rye flour
Nora says
Technically yes, if you want to stick to a more authentic version. But you can always do whole wheat if you don’t want to use rye for any kind of reason. Texture may change, and you may need to adjust the ratio of flour to liquids slightly. But otherwise, it should work.
Rick van der Heide says
Taste just like my Beppe”s. Thank you. It brings back some great memories.
Nora says
So glad to read this, Rick!
Tina says
is that 3 or 4 cups of milk or is it three quarters of a cup of milk please?
Nora says
Hi Tina, it’s three quarters of a cup of milk. Hope you’ll like the cake 🙂
Sabrina says
Hi Nora, I dont have molasses in Indonesia (diffcult to find) is there any replacement for the molasses? Please advise. Thank you
Nora says
Hi Sabrina! It should be fine if you just use more honey. The taste will be a little less “gingerbread-y” I suspect, but it should still be amazing! Hope that helps 🙂
Marcus says
Outstanding recipe! Thank you!!
Linda says
Finally made it over here! Now I have the directions I can make it- sounds great!
Linda ( from pinterest)
Nora says
I’m glad you managed to get here 😀 I hope you like it – would be great if you reported back 🙂
Nina says
Oh my goodness, Nora, I love you! How long have I been looking for this recipe. Thank you SO much for sharing, and by the way: what a gorgeous little blog you have
Nora says
Aww thank you! And I’m so happy to be of help 🙂