Majestic and Moist Honey Cake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen by Deborah Missel

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½  teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm strong coffee or tea, prefer Chai
½ cup fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
¼ cup rye, whiskey, or spiced rum
½ cup slivered or sliced almonds, optional
½ cup dried cranberries, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour baking pans. 

Toss cranberries in 1 tsp flour and set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all four spices. Make a well in the center and add oil, honey, white and brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee/tea, orange juice, orange zest, and liquor. [If you measure your oil before the honey, it will easier to get all the honey out.] Using a strong wire whisk or in an electric mixer on low speed, stir together making a thick, well-blended batter. Make sure no ingredients are stuck to the bottom. Fold in cranberries. 

Spoon batter into well-greased and floured pans. Sprinkle top of cakes evenly with almonds, if using. 

Place baking pans on one or two baking sheets. This will help evenly distribute heat and prevent the bottom of the cake from baking faster than the top and center. Place cake pans in center of oven or spaced evenly between racks to ensure even baking. Bake until cake tests done and the cake springs back when gently touched in the center.

Baking Time By Pan Size
Angel food and tube cake pans – bake 60 – 75 minutes
Loaf pans  - bake 45 – 55 minutes
Sheet cake pan – bake 40 – 45 minutes
Muffins – bake for about 20 minutes
Mini-bundt pans (4) – bake 30 – 35 minutes
Mini-loaf pan (4) – bake for 20 minutes, rotate and bake for another 25 minutes