HONEY ORANGE SPICED CAKE

A simple honey cake which is characteristic of Rosh Hashanah much like fruitcake is to new year.

Honey cakes is quintessentially a loaf cake made with honey which one can gladly eat with evening tea or morning coffee. Traditionally it has orange juice, whiskey, rye, cinnamon but seeing the orange I just couldn’t resist and added clove and star anise which I think are a match made in heaven and helps elevate orange flavor. I used clover honey but you can use any honey except chestnut. Instead of rye/whiskey i used orange liquor to deepen orange taste. Coming to Rosh Hashanah, it’s simply Jewish New Year, and translates to Feast of Trumpets or Head of the Year. Interestingly it is said to be the anniversary of creation of Adam and Eve. So it is celebration of creation of humanity.

Ingredients:

180 grams/ 1 1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel, optional
226 grams/ 1 cup/ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature or 120 grams/1/2 cup vegetable oil
200 grams/ 1 cup sugar
85 grams/1/4 cup honey
4 eggs, large, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of an orange
2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons orange liqueur or replace with orange juice

Full recipe: HONEY ORANGE SPICED CAKE