Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake

If you've got a recipe for Honey Cake and it isn't this one - throw it out!

Yes, this recipe is that good. Most honey cakes are, (dare I say it?) a bit dissappointing. This one is, although admittedly in the early stages, fantastic. It's fresh out of the oven but I've already eaten one of the mini-loaves and that's not just because I skipped breakfast and lunch was a single serving pack of Pringles.
This cake - well - takes the cake!
It's moist, it's got flavor but doesn't have the "bite" that you sometimes get when you sweeten with honey and the spices are just enough. It's a perfect balance.

Conveniently, it also makes enough to share, if you're feeling generous. My batch made two full size loaves and two minis.

This was so good warm with melted butter!

I found the recipe here: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/majestic-and-moist-honey-cake/

Initially I thought the spices might be too much, but everything balanced perfectly. I used "faux" coffee - it's an instant chicory/dandylion blend - in place of real coffee since I avoid caffeine, and I used Bourbon.

Try it, you'll like it. L'shana tova!

Majestic and Moist Honey Cake
Adapted from Marcy Goldman’s Treasure of Jewish Holiday Baking
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup rye or whiskey
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)
Fits in three loaf pans, two 9-inch square or round cake pans, one 9 or 10 inch tube or bundt cake pan, or one 9 by 13 inch sheet cake. I made mine in two full-size loaf pans plus two miniature ones.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease pan(s) with non-stick cooking spray. For tube or angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper, cut to fit.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Make a well in the center, and add oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee or tea, orange juice and rye or whiskey, if using. (If you measure your oil before the honey, it will be easier to get all of the honey out.)
Using a strong wire whisk or in an electric mixer on slow speed, stir together well to make a thick, well-blended batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom.
Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). Sprinkle top of cake(s) evenly with almonds, if using. Place cake pan(s) on two baking sheets, stacked together (this will ensure the cakes bake properly with the bottom baking faster than the cake interior and top).
Bake until cake tests done, that is, it springs back when you gently touch the cake center. For angel and tube cake pans, this will take 60 to 75 minutes, loaf cakes, about 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet style cakes, baking time is 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cake stand fifteen minutes before removing from pan.

Grape Pie!

My family has a grape arbor in their yard. It is covered with Concord Grape vines that are close to ninety years old. They aren't the healthiest vines in the world, but they're still alive and still producing grapes. To their credit, no one really tends them, so they're sort of on their own. Still, they usually manage enough grapes each year for a batch of jelly or juice or a pie or two.

Pies are my favorite.

Yes, I said Grape Pie.

It's not the best known pie in town, but it may be the best tasting. While Blueberry Pie and Cherry Pie and Peach Pie top the popularity charts, they by no means trump the flavor of Grape.

The process is somewhat strange. The grapes are "peeled" before the filling is made. Peeling in this case entails squeezing the pulpy center out of the skin.

The centers look a bit like frogs' eggs, especially when you've collected several cups of them in a bowl.

But don't throw away the skins! The skins will be added back into the filling and are what will give the filling it's beautiful reddish purple color.

GRAPE PIE RECIPE

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

4 cups Concord (or other purple) Grapes

Slip the grapes out of their skins, reserving skins. Cook pulp in a saucepan over medium heat on stovetop until seeds loosen. Press through sieve or colander to remove seeds. Combine the pulp, the reserved SKINS, and

3/4 cup Sugar
1 1/4 T Lemon Juice
1 T grated Orange Rind
1 T quick-cook Tapioca

Let stand for 15 minutes.

While waiting for filling, prepare your favorite pie crust recipe. I use a two crust recipe. Fill the pie shell with grape mixture and form a lattice or upper crust (be sure to cut vents in top crust if not using lattice). Bake pie for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes until crust is lightly browned and filling bubbles and thickens.

If filling appear too thin, you might need to cover the edges of the pie crust with foil to prevent over-baking.

Enjoy carefully! Although the color of the pie filling is beautiful it will temporarily stain teeth.