Honey Cake (Lekach)

This really is a delicious cake - very spicy, and with a great texture. Kind of like gingerbread - but more complex.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 12-14

Ingredients

• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1  cup honey
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 4  eggs
• 1  tablespoon  finely grated lemon zest
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons brandy
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3  teaspoons instant coffee
• 2⁄3 cup cold water
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped  nuts
• 1⁄2 cup raisins

• Lemon Glaze

• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄3 cup lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat sugar, honey, oil, eggs, lemon zest, juice and brandy in large mixer bowl on medium speed 2 minutes. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and instant coffee; stir into sugar mixture alternately with water. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Fold in 1/2 cup of the nuts and the raisins.
2. Pour into greased 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes; remove from pan. Prick top of cake carefully with fork; drizzle with Lemon Sugar. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.
3. For lemon glaze, just combine sugar and lemon juice.