Honey Cake

Ingredients:

  1/2 cup oil

  1/3 cup honey

  1/3 cup packed brown sugar

  1 cup applesauce

  1 1/2 cups flour

  1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon cinnamon

  1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional

  1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, optional

Directions:
Mix oil, honey, sugar and applesauce. Add dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Pour into greased 8 or 9 inch square pan (recipe can be doubled and placed in a 9x13 inch pan). Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

Orange-Honey Cake

Ingredients:

  4 large eggs

  1/3 cup vegetable oil

  1 cup sugar

  1 cup honey

  1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (preferably decaf.)

  1 cup warm water

  1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (but not diluted)

  2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose white flour, preferably unbleached

  1 cup whole wheat flour (or an additional 1 cup white flour)

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  2 teaspoons baking soda

  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  1 teaspoon ground allspice

  1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Grease or coat with non-stick spray two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pans. Line the bottom of each pan with wax paper; then grease or spray the paper. Set the pans aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer at medium speed to beat together the eggs, oil, sugar, and honey until completely combined. Dissolve the instant coffee granules in the water and add with the remaining ingredients. Beat, scraping the bowl occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until the batter is very smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly. Bake in a preheated 300-degree oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 45 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake to loosen it; then turn each cake out of its pan, and peel the wax paper from the bottom. Invert the cakes so the tops are facing upward. Cool the cakes completely on the wire racks; then wrap them well for storage.

The honey cakes taste best when allowed to "mellow" for several hours or overnight, before cutting. They keep well for 3 or 4 days at room temperature, or they may be frozen for several months (thaw them, wrapped, at room temperature, before serving).

Makes 2 loaf cakes; 16 to 20 servings.

Honey Spice Chiffon Cake

NOTE: This is a light, high, tube cake which is much like a rich sponge cake. It is quite different from most honey cakes typically served on Rosh Hashanah, but it is delicious!

Ingredients:

  7 large eggs, separated

  2/3 cup sugar, divided

  2/3 cup honey

  1/2 cup vegetable oil

  2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

  1 tablespoon baking powder

  1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  1 teaspoon ground allspice

  1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  1/2 teaspoon ground mace

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  2/3 cup cold water

Directions:
Use an un-greased 10-inch angel food cake pan with a removable tube insert.

Put the egg yolks, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the honey into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light. Beat in the oil until well combined. In another bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the batter alternately with the water, and mix until well blended.

In a clean bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar while continuing to beat just until stiff peaks form. Do not over-beat the whites or they will be difficult to fold into the batter. Stir about one-fourth of the whites into- the batter to lighten it. Then gently, but thoroughly fold all the batter back into the remaining whites.

Pour the batter into the tube pan, and smooth the top. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately invert it on its “legs,” or fit the tube over the neck of a bottle to cool upside down. When the cake is completely cool, run a knife around the edge of it, and remove it from the pan.

If desired, sprinkle the cake lightly with sieved confectioner’s sugar shortly before serving.

Makes about 12 servings.