Friday, September 26, 2008

Hopeful Honey Cake


Not to sound like Chicken Little, but goshdarnit! The sky is falling! It is a gray and gloomy day, and the rain has soaked the bottom of my jeans. The national news is as ominous as the weather. And tomorrow is my birthday. Being a Celebrationist this should be cause for...celebration, but I'm having a bout of the gettin' old blues. I am trying to scrounge for some sweet hope. Monday is Rosh Hashannah, jewish new year, and with a new year comes fresh starts and blank slates. Perhaps this will be the year I master French, learn to cook Indian food, have at least a dozen adventures with the kiddles, and at least one romantic weekend with Hubbabubba. Who knows all that a new year can hold?
So now I think a Honey Cake is definitely in order. This is not my grandmother's well-worn recipe, it's based on an old Dutch recipe I discovered somewhere along the way. It is earthy and sweet and spicy and contains all the hope I feel for a happy new year.

Honey Cake
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c. room-temp Earl Grey tea
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 c. orange blossom honey
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4-1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix all the ingredients together well. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 mins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

5 comments:

Alexa said...

The honey cake looks lovely. I am intrigued by the addition of earl grey...

Happy Birthday and warmest wishes, dear Rachel. Also, wishing you the very best for Rosh Hashannah and the new year. I am sure it will be a wonderful one...

Alexis said...

That looks really good--I'm definitely going to try it because my honey cake always comes out too dry!

Happy Birthday tomorrow!

rachel said...

Thanks Alexa and Alexis for your kind birthday wishes. I appreaciate it.

Apples and Butter said...

Looks delicious! Happy Birthday and stay dry!

Jesse said...

Happy new year!

I'm very intrigued by the earl grey as well. I grew up all sorts of Jewish sweets, but my mother never made honey cake. I think it's a tradition I'm going to have to start myself!