It wouldn’t be Rosh Hashanah without a festive dinner— a traditional, Ashkenazi, festive dinner with matzo ball soup, brisket and, of course, honey cake. I will be cooking for a week! My cousin once said that our grandmother showed her love for her family by cooking. I remember when Grandma came to visit us in the south, she filled our freezer with things my mother never cooked like blintzes. They were amazing!
I cooked blintzes once. And, as much as I love my family, never again. Thank you, Trader Joe’s! Still, they aren’t my grandmother’s blintzes. Maybe, in the spirit of love, I should try again.
This honey cake is not my grandmother’s recipe either. It’s a new one for me, with bourbon, coffee and all the spices you could want. What’s not to like?
Wishing you all a sweet New Year. Shana Tova.
Barefoot Contessa Rosh Hashanah Honey Bourbon Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup vegetable oil, plus extra for the pan
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges
- 1/4 cup good bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
- 1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch angel food cake pan with a non removable bottom with oil, line the bottom with parchment paper, then oil and flour the pan. (I use Nordic Ware.)
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the oil, granulated sugar, honey, brown sugar, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla on medium speed for one minute. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, allspice, and ginger and blend. Combine the coffee, orange juice, and bourbon in a 2-cup glass measuring cup. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour and liquid mixtures to the oil-sugar mixture in thirds, beginning and ending with flour, until combined. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Don’t worry; the batter will be very liquid!
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Rap the pan 5 times on the counter to get rid of any bubbles in the batter. Sprinkle the top with the almonds. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely, then remove from the pan and place almond side up on a flat serving plate. Serve at room temperature.
According to the comments, it’s good to wrap the cake in plastic wrap for a day to let the flavors really come out. If you’re not keeping Kosher or you are having a dairy meal, you can add a dollop of whipped cream.
Reprinted from Cooking for Jeffrey, Copyright 2016 by Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter/Publisher. All rights reserved.