1 September 2013

How to... Make honey cake

This week is Jewish New Year, and to celebrate a sweet new year, we Jews traditionally eat sweet honey cake. Over the years, I've had a lot, and they're never, ever the same... Some are moist and gooey, some dark and heavy, some light and fluffy, or dry and spicy. Some people like cinnamon, or mixed spice, orange juice, coffee, almonds... My Grandma always made the best honeycakes, but I have no idea what recipe she used.

Over the years, I've tried a few, but this is the one that I always come back to, mainly as it's so darn simple, so I thought that I'd share it with you...



450 grams self raising flour
Half teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
Half teaspoon mixed spice
235 ml vegetable oil
340 grams honey
200 grams caster sugar
200 grams brown sugar
3 large eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
235 ml warm coffee
120 ml orange juice






In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, cinnamon and spice. Then, make a well in the middle and add all of the other ingredients. Stir/whisk well (it should be quite wet), and then divide into 2-3 cake or loaf tins. This year, I made two smallish cakes, and a dozen muffins for the kids. Bake at 180 for about 30 minutes (maybe a bit longer if you don't have a fan assisted oven, or if your cake tin is a bit bigger). It should look brown and springy and the knife should come away clean.








Hope you enjoy the recipe. Wishing you all a happy and sweet new year - Shana Tova U'Metuka

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