The Best Honey Cakes

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It’s the small touches that make the difference.

I’ve scoured the world of kosher cookbooks and kosher chefs to come up with a few of the best honey cakes. They may all seem similar but it’s the small touches that make the difference. Try them all and choose your favorite! Have a contest. They’re all so good that you can’t go wrong whichever one you make. And don’t forget to focus on having a sweet new year as you take that first bite!

 Majestic Honey Cake
Although this could be made as a sheet cake, I like the presentation much better (especially for Yom Tov) if made in a tube or Bundt pan (9 or 10-inch)

  • 3-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup warm brewed coffee
  • ¾ cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Make a well in the center and add oil, honey, sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee and orange juice. Beat on low speed until well combined. Pour into greased pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Let sit in pan for 15 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.

Brandy-Infused Honey Cake

  • ½ cup oil
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon brandy
  • ¼ cup apricot preserves
  • 2-1/2 cups flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
  • ½ cup brewed coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together oil, sugar, honey and vanilla. Beat in eggs, brandy and apricot preserves. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger. Add to the batter alternately with the coffee, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into greased 9 or 10-inch Bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes. Let rest in pan 10 to 15 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.

Apricot-Almond Honey Loaf
Here’s an interesting twist on a familiar dessert.

  • 1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots
  • ¼ cup whiskey
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons applesauce
  • 1/3 cup apricot preserves
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup chopped almonds

Soak apricots in whiskey for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 35 degrees. Beat together oil, sugar and eggs. Whisk together remaining liquid ingredients. Stir together flour and baking soda. Add to mix alternately, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in apricots and almonds and pour into greased 10 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake for about 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling. Wrap in foil. This cake keeps well and also freezes well.

Chocolate Honey Cake
Personally I am a traditionalist but for those who feel that everything is better with chocolate, I offer this version, adapted from Marcy Goldman’s A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking.

  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 2-3/4 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together oil, sugar, honey vanilla and eggs. Stir together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Make well in center and stir in wet ingredients. Gradually add the coffee. Mix well – until batter is smooth. Pour into greased 9 or 10-inch tube pan and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and baking for another hour. Sprinkle chopped chocolate on cake. Shake pan to loosen cake from bottom but do not remove it. Cool briefly; then refrigerate the cake to set the chocolate. Once chocolate is set, invert and remove cake from pan.

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