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Hazy, cloudy, highly effervescent — the Belgian white beer is ideal for all seasons.

Originating in 14th-century monasteries, the village of Hoegaarden is believed to be the birthplace of the Belgian white beer.

Wit means white in Dutch/Flemish and refers to Belgian-style wheat ale, or witbier, known in French as bière blanche.

This unique style of beer had all but disappeared by the 1960s, but, thankfully, was brought back to market. Subsequently, the larger beverage corporations have also expanded their lines to include a witbier; think Blue Moon.

Read more CHEF ILONA DANIEL: Nasi Goreng, a dish originating from Indonesia, is a tasty way for frugal Atlantic Canadians to use up leftovers CHEF ILONA DANIEL: Chicken Cordon Bleu burger not quite as fancy or as difficult to make as it sounds

CHEF ILONA DANIEL: Nasi Goreng, a dish originating from Indonesia, is a tasty way for frugal Atlantic Canadians to use up leftovers

CHEF ILONA DANIEL: Chicken Cordon Bleu burger not quite as fancy or as difficult to make as it sounds

A unique characteristic of Belgian white is the use of raw wheat in its production. Raw wheat lends the creamy texture and its pillowy head.

This style of beer is made with a large proportion of unmalted grains. It can be a challenging beer to brew, so I advise doing a little bit of research to see what is being imported and what is made locally in your area to help you choose the brew you will sip and cook with.

What I love about this particular style of beer is its versatility in cooking. The coriander and the orange adjuncts become malleable in the realms of the savoury and the sweet.

This cake recipe teases at pumpkin spice flavours, but the spiciness of the coriander, ginger and orange decidedly applies a sophistication, while the comforting warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg maintains the softness of the overall composition of the dish.

This is a versatile batter and can be baked into a Bundt cake, muffins or loaves.

If you want to add some texture to the finished product, add one cup of chopped nuts like pistachios or pecans, or dried fruit like currants or crystallized ginger.

I even recommend a sliced banana or a couple of apples stirred into the prepared butter.

Created by Chef Ilona Daniel

Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray or line a muffin tin with liners and set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, the spices and salt into a bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla and orange zest and whip well to incorporate. Finally, beat in the honey.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the beer, dividing the flour mixture into three parts and the beer into two parts, starting and ending with the flour. Make sure not to over mix. Overmixing will result in an unpleasant finished product.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan of choice and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The range for a Bundt cake is about 45 minutes and cupcakes should fall somewhere in the 12- to 25-minute range.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack until it cools to room temperature. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve.

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