Sweet Like Honey Cake for the Jewish New Year

I really can’t believe that it’s just going to be Labor Day and we have to say good-bye to summer and hello to Rosh Hashana! Super early this year. I am adding a few additions to my usual menu and I will list my usual recipes so that if you’d like you can look them up on my site. Here is one of the new recipes for a sweet Honey Cake containing no honey!  This cake can be made ahead of time and frozen. This recipe is  for 2 loaves, so if you only want to make 1 just divide in half. I figure I’m making it , why not make 2 and have the second one on hand. This is also a vegan cake. Honey Cake is a traditional cake served on the Jewish New Year.

I just finished baking this sweet like honey cake and I got one regular sized loaf and 1 mini loaf so I don’t think this will yield 2 full size loaves unless you only fill loaf pan 1/2 way.

*original recipe from Epicurious

Ingredients: 2 loaves

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry or spelt flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

1 cup pure maple syrup or dark agave nectar, or 1/2 maple  and 1/2 dark agave

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup safflower oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup dark or golden raisins

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prep 2 loaf pans by greasing or spraying the pans, if you’d like you can line the bottoms with parchment paper. I find spraying the pans is sufficient. You can also lightly oil the sides of pans if not using spray.

Combine the first 6 dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves or allspice.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir together until the wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly combined, then add in the raisins.

Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the almonds over the tops of the loaves.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife or cake tester inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. Don’t over bake. I baked for about 42 minutes, it was finished at that point. So be sure to check on it after 40 minutes.

Allow the cakes to cool completely. Use a knife to go around the sides of the loaves to loosen, if necessary and carefully remove the loaves from the pans by tipping them into your hand, then set on a platter.

Cut into slices and serve.

Happy New Year!