heat oven to 350, grease 8'' pans or put in cupcake liners
boil the honey and spices and then let cool
combine flour with baking powder and salt, set aside
cream butter with baking soda and sugar until light in color and fluffy
mix in cooled honey mixture (it will be thick and sticky, spoon it out of the pan), blend well
add lemon zest and egg, mix well
alternate adding flour and buttermilk, ending with flour and blending well between adds
pour into pans or cupcake liners (fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way) and pop in oven
bake 35 minutes for cake or 18 mintues for cupcakes and test doneness with a toothpick, if it comes out clean from a poke in the center of the cake/ cupcake pull out and let cool on wire rack. if it is still liquidy and not bouncing back when you tap the middle, leave it in the oven for a few minutes and check again.