These are the recipes I love best: the handed-down ones.

When my colleague’s mother passed away this past summer, he was left with the daunting task of clearing out her home. Among the many papers he came across was the recipe for his mother’s honey cake, scribbled on a scrap of paper. On the note, you can see who she received the recipe from and the calculations she herself had made.

The feeling of nostalgia while making this cake is lovely. Not only is it an old-fashioned recipe jam-packed with memories—above all else, it is delicious.

Honey cakes are tricky to make—they tend to explode in the oven, dip in the middle, or dry out easily (or all three at once, which has happened to me more than once!). Here are some tips and tricks:

• And if it dries out? Serve it with custard or spoon over the syrup from roasted pears or apples. All will be forgiven.
• Do not overfill your tin. Fill your tin only halfway—don’t be tempted to add “just a little more.” If you have extra batter, make muffins instead. This helps prevent the dreaded dip in the middle.
• Bake low and slow. A lower oven temperature helps prevent explosions and ensures an even bake.
• Don’t overbake. Take the cake out just a few minutes before you think it’s ready. Test with a knife—you want to see a few crumbs clinging to it.

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons instant coffee
120g (½ cup) just-boiled water
425g (1 ¼ cup) honey
220g (1 cup) oil
250g (1 ¼ cup) dark brown sugar
4 eggs 
500g (4 cups) self-raising flour*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt

*If you don’t have self-raising flour, substitute for 500g (4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour plus 2 teaspoons baking powder and 2 teaspoons baking soda.

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Line 2 to 3 medium loaf tins with baking paper and set aside.
2. Make the coffee mixture: In a small bowl, combine the instant coffee and just-boiled water and stir well.
3. Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the coffee mixture with the honey, oil, and sugar. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs and mix again until fully incorporated.
4. Prepare the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
5. Combine: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until no lumps remain and all the flour has been fully incorporated.
6. Bake: Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins, filling each one no more than halfway. Bake for 45–75 minutes, depending on the size of your tins, or until the cakes are a deep golden brown and a knife inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

MAKE AHEAD:

1. The honey cake can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, keep well wrapped at room temperature.