1. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 11-by-17-inch jelly-roll pan with the soft butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour evenly over the butter and tip the pan from side to side to coat the surface evenly. Then invert the pan, and rap it sharply on a table to remove any excess flour. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Sift the 2¼ cups flour, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl, and stir in the almonds, orange peel and lemon peel. With a whisk or a rotary or electric beater, beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is thick enough to fall back on itself in a slowly dissolving ribbon when the beater is lifted from the bowl. Beat in the honey, then the milk, and finally, a little at a time, the flour mixture.
3. When the batter is smooth, spread it out evenly in the jelly-roll pan with a rubber spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cake is firm to the touch.
4. With a knife or metal spatula, loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out on a cake rack. While it is still warm, brush the top with a thin coating of the glaze, let it set for a minute or so, then cut the cake into cookies 2½ inches long and 1½ inches wide.
Lebkuchen can be stored for 6 to 8 weeks in tightly sealed jars or tins.
