Moist Rosh Hashana (New Year) Honey Cake

My rebbetzin gave me this recipe a few years ago. I had a disastrous Rosh Hashana in the honey cake department, went to a break-the-fast at her place, and she had this AMAZING cake. I've made it every year since and make it in the off-season, too. This is one of those cakes that gets better as it ages, so if you want to make it a day or even two ahead, it'll actually taste better. She says it's based upon a recipe in Marcy Goldman's cake in A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, but that thing's out of print. I did find a copy of it, purchased it for the recipe, and found that it was.. lacking.. in the spice department. I haven't put in the optional whiskey to date, but I believe it's more traditional to use it. I've just never had it around. I also like using bundt pans for this. Did you know Hadassah asked NordicWare to make the original bundt pan?

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• Dry Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger
• 4  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon clove
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 cup  whiskey (optional)

• Wet Ingredients

• 3  eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1  cup honey (I usually go with wild clover, but whatever's available, go for the thickest honey)
• 1  cup  oil
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup black tea, strong (I've used Earl Grey each time) or 1  cup coffee
• 1⁄2 cup  orange juice (bottled or fresh-squeezed is fine, but fresh-squeezed has worked best for me)
• 1  orange, zest (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F If you're using black or dark-colored pans, reduce to 325°F.
2. Prepare a 10 inch bundt pan, or tube pan, or 3 8" x 41/2” loaf pans.
3. Grease and flour the bottoms of the pans - better yet, use baking parchment paper to line the bottoms of the pans: it makes getting your cake out in one piece easier!
4. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer.
5. Add wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
6. Pour slowly into prepared pans to avoid bubbles.
7. Tap pans against counter to free any bubbles.
8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Let the cake stand for at lease 15 minutes before you try and get it out of the pan.
10. Invert it on a wire rack and cool completely.
11. Wrap tightly in wax-paper, and then in foil to keep.
12. This is one of those cakes that gets better the longer you let it sit; if you can make it 3 days in advance, that's actually ideal. It is also delicious right away.