Description
A moist, chewy, and spiced honey cake that stays tender for days. This traditional Jewish holiday dessert is rich with molasses, warm spices, and honey, making it a perfect centerpiece for Rosh Hashanah.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (340g) honey
- 1/2 cup (170g) molasses (regular dark or light, not blackstrap)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240ml) hot water (or half water, half strong brewed coffee)
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans (or one 9×13 inch pan) and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Dust lightly with flour.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine honey, molasses, vegetable oil, and hot water. Warm gently until hot to the touch but not boiling (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves.
- In a separate large bowl, beat eggs and vanilla extract with a hand mixer or whisk until frothy and light (about 1 minute).
- Slowly pour the warm honey-molasses mixture into the beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit overnight before serving to allow flavors to meld and texture to become chewy.
Notes
This cake is naturally dairy-free. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For a vegan version, substitute honey with maple syrup and eggs with flax eggs. The cake improves in flavor and texture if allowed to sit overnight. Coffee enhances the spice notes without making the cake taste like coffee.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Jewish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: Rosh Hashanah, honey cake, holiday dessert, traditional Jewish recipe, spice cake, moist cake, make-ahead dessert