Polish Honey spice Cake (piernik)

Ingredients

1 pound (500 g ) flour
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter/margarine
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons spices (cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and nutmeg)
2 Tbs. walnut (chopped)
2 Tbs. candied orange peel (finely chopped)
2 Tbs. dried figs (cut into thin strips)
2 Tbs. raisins
butter and bread crumbs to grease the loaf pan

Instructions

Cream butter in a large bowl, add egg yolks, sugar and spices. Mix until smooth. Pour in liquid honey, coffeeand lemon juice. Continue to mix, then add baking soda with sifted flour. Mix. Add figs, orange peel, walnuts and raisins to egg & butter mixture. Mix all together. Beat egg whites into a froth and spoon alternatively with spoonfuls of flour into the mixture, still stirring. Put the dough into 2 loaf pans (10x5" / 25x12 cm) greased with butter and sprinkled with bread crumbs, and place them immediately in a pre-heated 300 F (148 C) oven. When the dough has risen, increase the temperature. Bake in a moderate 360 F (180 C) Do not disturb while baking for about 40 min. Before taking out, check with a toothpick. The toothpick should remain dry. When slightly cooled, take out of the loaf pan. Note: Honey spice cake will last as long as 2-3 weeks tightly wrapped in aluminum foil.