Honey cake is, I think, the perfect autumnal bake. It’s rich with sugar and spice, nodding to the cooler months and more rib-sticking food to come…yet delicate enough to carry memories of summer…of fields buzzing with bees.
Its flavour can be dramatically changed by the type of honey you use. Opt for a bolshy, chestnut-dark, thick variety and the taste will be more highly pronounced, with a sense of depth and richness.
Or, if you crave something lighter (as I did when I made this week’s recipe) seek out floral honey - perhaps jars labelled with acacia or orange blossom.
I’m lucky enough to live around the corner from a friend who has a clutch of hives in nearby woodland with her family, so it was the last of her spring honey (from bees who foraged for pollen in local rapeseed fields) that went into the mix.
Cinnamon brings a hum of spice. Treacle prevents the batter from becoming too sweet. And in addition to adding a smoky note to the buns, the coffee powder’s acidity gives the flour a power boost.
These are very pretty unwrapped and served on a platter for dessert, maybe with the last of the figs, or some peeled, sliced oranges.

Honeybuns
(makes 12)

Ingredients
150g butter
150g honey
1tbsp treacle
1tsp instant coffee powder
2tsps cinnamon
3 large eggs
150g self-raising wholemeal flour
Pinch salt
For the topping
150ml double cream
2tbsps icing sugar
2tbsps rum (optional)
100g honeycomb, crumbled

Method
Heat the oven to 180C and line a 12 cup cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
Warm the butter, honey, treacle, cinnamon and coffee in a pan until melted together. Allow to cool slightly.
Pour the liquid mix into a bowl and whisk in the eggs and a pinch of salt. Sift in the flour and beat together until smooth.
Evenly divide the mix between your cupcake cakes and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing.
For the topping whip the cream, icing sugar and rum to soft peaks and pipe or spoon over. Finish with a crumble of honeycomb.