Vegan Jewish Honey Cake Recipe

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 04/20/22
Rosh Hashana Honey Cake
Rosh Hashana Honey Cake Sarah Bossert / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Yield: 2 loaves
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
140 Calories
5g Fat
23g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 140
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 168mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 44mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 96mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for vegan Jewish honey cake is from Nava Atlas' "Vegan Holiday Kitchen" (Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2011). It is soy free and can be made nut free by eliminating the almonds. And, contrary to its name, it is made with agave nectar or pure maple syrup instead of honey.
Atlas says, "Honey cake is a traditional dessert at Jewish celebrations, whether formal holidays or not, and is a fixture in the Ashkenazic Rosh Hashanah repertoire. In this recipe, dark agave nectar and maple syrup are combined to create a truly authentic flavor."

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, or spelt flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, or ground allspice

  • 1 cup agave nectar, dark, or pure maple syrup, or half of each

  • 1 cup applesauce

  • 1/2 cup safflower oil

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup raisins, dark or golden

  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat the oven to 325 F. Combine the first 6 (dry) ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir together until the wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly combined, then stir in the raisins.

  2. Cut 2 pieces of baking parchment to fit the bottoms of 2 (8-inch) loaf pans. Lightly oil the sides. Divide the batter between the 2 lightly oiled loaf pans. Sprinkle the almonds (if using) evenly over the tops of the loaves.

  3. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf tests clean. Take care not to overbake.

  4. Allow the cakes to cool completely. Use a knife to go around the sides of the loaves to loosen, if needed, and carefully remove the loaves from the pans by tipping them into your hand, then set on a platter. Cut each loaf into 12 slices to serve.