Description
A moist, deeply spiced honey cake featuring grated apple and a sticky cinnamon glaze. This forgiving holiday dessert is perfect for Rosh Hashanah and improves in flavor over time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (340g) raw honey
- 3 large eggs plus 1 yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 medium apple (about 150g), peeled and finely grated
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30g) honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and dust with flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and honey together until smooth and well combined, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs and extra yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold the grated apple into the batter until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If browning too fast, cover with foil.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake cools, whisk together the melted butter, honey, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth. Add more milk if needed for consistency.
- Pour the glaze over the completely cooled cake and spread evenly. Slice into squares and serve at room temperature.
Notes
The cake is best made 1-2 days ahead to allow flavors to meld. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Can be frozen (without glaze) for up to 3 months. Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for best emulsion. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Jewish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: Rosh Hashanah, honey cake, apple cake, holiday baking, Jewish dessert, cinnamon glaze, sweet apple honey cake