Aunt Rose's Honeycake

A traditional Rosh Hashana dessert, honeycake is a good opportunity to showcase a dark, full bodied honey, such as a buckwheat. If possible bake this a day ahead so the flavors can blend and mellow. Adapted from Stephanie Rosenbaum's "Honey: From Flower to Table." and posted in The Denver Post.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 2 loafs

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil or 1⁄2 cup canola oil
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  dark full flavored honey
• 2  eggs
• 1  small orange, quartered and seeded (not peeled)
• 1  small apple, cored and chopped (not peeled)
• 3⁄4 cup  strong brewed coffee
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder (scant)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line two loaf pans with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl; combine oil, sugar, honey and eggs.
4. Use an electric mixer to beat until chunky smooth, set aside.
5. In a blender or food processor; combine orange and apple, then pulse until finely chopped.
6. Add coffee to blender and pulse until mostly pureed, set aside.
7. In another bowl; sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
8. Add a third of the fruit and coffee mixture to oil honey and egg mixture stirring well.
9. Add a third of flour mixture stirring again.
10. Continue in this manner until all ingredients are combined add optional ingredients at this time as well.
11. Divide batter between loaf pans, bake until a tester comes out clean or about 30-35 minutes.
12. Cool cakes in pans on a rack. Leave parchment on till serving.