A Honey of a Cake
The beginning of September marks the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. I am not Jewish, but I love any celebration that centers around food. So, that’s pretty much any celebration. Anyway, over the last couple of weeks, my inbox has been flooded with recipes for Honey cake, which many Jewish families make to bring in a new year of hope and sweetness. I am all for that. We need more hope and sweetness right now and if it comes with a cake, that’s even better!
The recipe I decided to try comes from www.epicurious.com. The list of ingredients seems a little daunting, but the cake comes together very easily. It can also be made in many forms, from an angel food cake pan, a sheet cake pan, or smaller loaf pans that make the cake perfect for gifting. I chose to make mine in a Bundt pan.
Spray whichever pan/pans you are using with Baker’s Secret spray and set aside while you prepare the cake batter. Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the sugars and all of the wet ingredients. It may seem like it is a strange combination of flavors that you add, including coffee, orange juice, honey, vanilla, eggs, oil and whiskey, but trust me, it all tastes amazing when it’s baked together.
Mix all of the ingredients well, either with a stand mixer or by hand with a wire whisk. Set aside for a moment, while you measure out 1/2 cup of sliced almonds, if you are using them. Because I used a Bundt pan, I sprinkled the nuts in the bottom and along the side of the pan, then pour the batter into the pan. If you are using loaf pans or a sheet cake pan, pour the batter in first, then sprinkle the almonds across the top of the cake batter evenly.
The recipe suggests placing the pan/pans onto 2 cookie sheet pans stacked together before baking in the oven set to 350ºF. I thought this seems strange, but did it anyway. After baking the cake a bit, some of the batter ran over the side of my Bundt pan, which is probably the reason for the cookie sheets.
Because the batter has cinnamon, allspice and cloves, as the cake bakes, your house will smell like Fall. It’s better than a candle from Bath & Body Works.
The baking time will vary based on what kind of pan/pans you use. For a Bundt cake, bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until the center is set. Pull out the pan and let it rest on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before inverting it out of the pan. Allow it to cool a bit more before serving.
This cake is an amazing introduction to Autumn, even if you aren’t Jewish. It is moist and flavorful and is perfect for a cup of coffee or tea. It’s great for a mid morning snack, afternoon snack or evening dessert.
The recipe also suggests that you can substitute more orange juice or coffee instead of the whiskey. If choosing to use the alcohol, the recipe says you can use rye or whiskey. We only had Jameson Irish Whiskey, so that’s what I used. It definitely tastes boozy, which is not a problem for us but some may definitely prefer coffee or juice instead.
I highly recommend trying this amazing cake and you can find the full recipe here. I am betting it will become a Fall favorite in your home, too.
