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Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills

South Shore Jewish Congregation

Honey Cake

Honey Cake
Serves 8
A delicious and moist honey cake for the Jewish new year. The glaze is attributed to Dinah's mother Rebecca Goldberg.
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Ingredients
  1. 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  2. 1 tablespoon baking powder
  3. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  5. 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  6. 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  7. 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  8. 1 cup vegetable oil
  9. 1 cup honey
  10. 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  11. 1/2 cup brown sugar
  12. 3 eggs
  13. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  14. 1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
  15. 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  16. 1/4 cup rye or whisky (see Note)
  17. 1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)
Glaze
  1. 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. 1 tsp. flour
  4. 3 1/2 tbsp. water
  5. 1/4 lb. margarine (1 stick)
  6. 1 Tbsp. Brandy or Amaretto liqueur (optional)
  7. 1-2 tsps orange extract (optional - if omitting liqueur)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Lightly grease the pan(s). For tube and angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
  4. Make a well in the center and add the oil, honey, sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee, orange juice, and rye or whisky.
  5. Using a strong wire whisk or an electric mixer on slow speed, combine the ingredients well to make a thick batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
  6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s) and sprinkle the top of the cake(s) evenly with the almonds.
  7. Place the cake pan(s) on 2 baking sheets stacked together and bake until the cake springs back when you touch it gently in the center.
  8. For angel and tube cake pans, bake for 60 to 70 minutes; loaf cakes, 45 to 55 minutes; For sheet-style cakes, the baking time is 40 to 45 minutes. This is a liquidy batter and, depending on your oven, it may need extra time. Cake should spring back when gently pressed.
  9. Let the cake stand for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze
  1. Mix cocoa, sugar, flour and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
  2. Cook and stir until smooth and thick, about 8 minutes.
  3. Take off heat.
  4. Add margarine and liqueur or extract.
  5. Beat to thicken as it cools.
  6. Spread over top of cooled honey cakes.
Notes
  1. If you prefer not to use the whisky, replace it with orange juice or coffee. [Note from Dinah Berch: I've never used the alcohol. Instead, I either use more OJ and Coffee OR I use 1 1/2 cups of warm tea made of 1 black tea teabag and 2 orange spice tea bags, and a Tablespoon of apricot jam.]
  2. I like this cake best baked in a 9-inch angel food cake pan, but you can also make it in a 10-inch tube or bundt cake pan, a 9 by 13-inch sheetpan, or three 8 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.
Adapted from Epicurious
Adapted from Epicurious
Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills https://www.bethshalombluehills.org/
  • Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project