Honey Cake “Lebkuchen” Muffins

Honey cake is one of the traditional cakes during Christmas time in Germany besides Lebkuchen or Christmas Stollen.

Here is one idea to make honey cake as muffin. It is best to prepare them at least one day before eating as they contain typical spices like cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. As honey I recommend a liquid one like flower or pine honey.

What you need:

200 ml honey
150 gr butter
6 Tbsp milk
4 eggs
150 gr powdered sugar
4 tsp Lebkuchen spices
350 gr all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
100 gr grated hazelnuts
100 gr grated almonds

Dark chocolate couverture for glazing

How to prepare

Combine the honey, butter and milk in a pot and heat on low to medium heat until the butter is melted. Make sure that the mixture is just lukewarm! If necessary let cool. Add the eggs and whisk well.

In a bowl add all remaining dry ingredients and mix well with a whisk. Add the liquids and mix until all ingredients have combined. Do not use an electric mixer as the dough will get chewy and the muffins will not be fluffy after baking.

Place paper muffin forms into a muffin baking mold and add into each mold appr. 2 tablespoons of the dough.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180ºC for appr. 20 minutes. Check with a wooden tooth-stick if the muffins are ready.

Let cool and glaze with dark chocolate couverture.