Jewish Apple Honey Cake
A favorite Rosh Hashanah dessert full of apples and sweetened with honey - the traditional ingredients that are part of the celebratory observances of the Jewish New Year!
In Israeli grocery stores, stacks of honey and apple cakes reminded shoppers that Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, was approaching. Apples, honey, pomegranates all featured in special treats to help them welcome the New Year. Braised brisket, a kugel or two and a Challah bread rounded out the typical meal.
But for us expats, Rosh Hashana was a U.S. Embassy families’ beach picnic on the beach at Caesarea, of Paul the apostle fame,with a Roman Aqueduct running parallel to the coast. Our picnic, yes, included apples, maybe honey cake, perhaps pomegranate but of course, our American standards of potato salad, chips and chocolate chip cookies also nudged their way into our baskets. Being 3rd culture expats, we made a melange of of favorite foods from both cultures.
Truth be told, the Israeli store apple honey cakes were dry and stingy on flavor. So this 3rd culture apple honey cake caught my notice with a moist, textured cake loaded with apples and with just enough sweet honey, reminiscent of a coffee cake.
Then this recipe brings on the western influence in the form of a cinnamon crumb topping. If you still find it too boring, push it even a bit more in westerly direction by drizzling on a cream cheese frosting. Now this is an apple honey cake you’ll want for any New Year or any new day for that matter!
Jewish Apple HOney Cake
Apple Cake:
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup sour cream mixed with 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups peeled, cored and chopped Honeycrisp apples or other crisp apples for baking, such as Granny Smith.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cream Cheese Glaze:
1/4 cup soft butter
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
enough milk to create a thick drizzling consistency
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Use a mixer to combine honey, brown sugar, oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda, until combined. Fold the apples into the cake batter.
-Pour batter into a buttered 9×13 pan (alternatively, you can line with parchment paper).
-In a small mixing bowl, combine the crumb topping ingredients then sprinkle and spread evenly over the batter in the baking pan.
-Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Drizzle cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake if desired. Serve with honey butter, sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Makes 12 servings.
Sprinkle crumb topping on top of apple cake batter before baking.
Crumb topping creates a complementary cinnamon crunch that goes so well with apples.
Loaded with apples, this moist honey cake partners so deliciously with vanilla ice cream!
Apples and honey with just a touch of cinnamon create this coffee cake type crumb.
To make this cake even more delicious, drizzle with thinned cream cheese frosting.
Happy New Year, Happy Apple Harvest, or just Happy Apple Cake! Any occasion is occasion enough.
