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."
Here are two more recipes from Nava Atlas' "Vegan Holiday Kitchen" -- Vegan Matzo Ball Soup Recipe and Nava Atlas' Vegan Jewish Sweet Potato Tzimmes Recipe.
Here is a larger photo of Vegan Jewish Honey Cake.
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."
Here are two more recipes from Nava Atlas' "Vegan Holiday Kitchen" -- Vegan Matzo Ball Soup Recipe and Nava Atlas' Vegan Jewish Sweet Potato Tzimmes Recipe.
Here is a larger photo of Vegan Jewish Honey Cake.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 2 loaves Vegan Honey Cake
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour or spelt flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
- 1 cup dark agave nectar or pure maple syrup, or half of each
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup safflower oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup dark or golden raisins
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional
Preparation:
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees. 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.
- Cut two pieces of baking parchment to fit the bottoms of two 8-inch loaf pans. Lightly oil the sides. Divide the batter between the two lightly oiled loaf pans. Sprinkle the almonds (if using) evenly over the tops of the loaves.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf tests clean. Take care not to overbake.
- 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.
