I've been collecting recipes all year long, but the High Holy days have snuck up on me once again. Here it is, practically Rosh Hoshanna, and I don't even have enough time to make the 7-day honey cake.
This is the Los Angeles Times' food section's favorite Rosh honey cake. It's the best, they insist. But it's only as good as all that if you let it sit on the counter for 7 days after baking it. Why? Maybe you're letting it mellify. (and I apologize deeply for that link, btw).
At any rate, I can barely plan a dinner one hour in advance let alone plan something for seven days hence. It's ridiculous. Absurd.
And I'm really gonna try to be better prepared next year.
Meanwhile, you can find the recipe here: or you can read it below;
Note: Since the honey taste comes out as the cakes mature, this is a good one to try stronger honies with, such as buckwheat or chestnut.
6 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tablespoons instant coffee (you can substitute 1 cup strong, dark tea if you like)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
Heat the oven to 340 degrees.
Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the honey, oil and eggs and beat into a smooth batter
Dissolve the instant coffee in 1 cup of boiling water. Stir the baking soda and then the coffee into the batter. Gently fold in the raisins and walnuts.
Pour the batter into three (9-inch by 5-inch) glass loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tops of the cakes are risen and golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the loaves cool slightly before remvoing them from the pans. Allow them to cool completely before tightly covering them with foil and setting them in a cool, dry place THAT IS NOT THE REFRIGERATOR to "mature" for seven days.
This recipe makes three loaves of about 12 servings each.
It's supposed to be delicious.
Yes, the year I am this prepared for this will be a sweet year indeed.
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