Honey Cake for a Sweet New Year

Rose's Honey Cake for Rosh Hashana

has so many flavors that honey is but a faint note in the background.

This suits me just fine.  I am not a great fan

of honey in pastries of any sort.

I am a fan of spice cakes and of chocolate cakes.

This cake has both.

It reminds me of the mayonnaise date cake

my mom used to make back in the day.

I actually think dates would be quite good in this cake,

along with Lyle's Golden Syrup and cardamom,

but I held firm to the recipe,

this time. 

Loads of ingredients.

The flour and coffee are off to the side.

Such an easy cake to make;

the dry ingredients in one bowl,

the wet in another with the sugar

and then combined together with honey.

I used Grand Marnier because that is 

what is left in the cupboard.

Can't believe my baking drinks cabinet is bare;.

had quite a Rose collection going there for awhile.

The oranges weren't particularly flavorful

so I added 1/2 teaspoon orange oil.

This is the soupiest cake batter

I have ever come across.

It's absolute alchemy how it 

all bakes up together.

While looking for my bundt pan,

I noticed this old one piece Angel Food cake pan.

It must have come from my mother in law's

when we closed down her house.

I can't bare to see cake pans tossed.

I wish they could tell me their stories. 

I like this cake.

It seems old fashioned and homey, 

just the sort of cake for a special family holiday.

The Grand Marnier and orange oil play well

against the orange juice.

The coffee and cocoa powder play off each other.

And the honey?

It ties the spices together in a subtle way.

We could all use a Sweet New Year. 

~

The Baking Bible

by

Rose Levy Beranbaum