Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah
A classic dessert for a sweet new year
My grandmother made honey cake in a pan lined with waxed paper. Each square had a whole candied almond in it, and woe to the parent who tried to cut a piece between those prized almonds.
Reprinted with permission from Jewish Family & Life!
Ingredients
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 Tablespoons canola oil
1 3/4 cups honey
4 extra large eggs
1 cup very strong coffee (decaf is fine)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup whole or half candied or plain almonds
1 cup raisins
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour two 9×5-inch loaf pans or one 9×13 pan. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the honey and coffee and bring to a boil. Cool and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the eggs, brown sugar and oil. Do not overbeat.
Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda and spices together. Stir the flour and honey into the eggs alternating and ending with the liquid. Stir in the raisins. Blend well. Pour into the prepared pans and place the almonds over the cake. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the cake springs back. Let sit overnight before serving.
Rosh Hashanah
Pronounced: roshe hah-SHAH-nah, also roshe ha-shah-NAH, Origin: Hebrew, the Jewish new year.
