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The Philadelphia Jewish Voice |
Apricot Honey Cake (pareve)
My family loves this cake so much that in order to have a whole cake for company on Rosh Hashanah, I’ll sometimes bake another batch in regular or mini muffin tins for them to snack on. For an elegant presentation, serve accompanied by a platter of whole ripe strawberries sprinkled with chunks of dark chocolate-covered crystallized ginger (dark chocolate-covered crystallized ginger, O-U dairy, is available at Trader Joe's Markets). This cake is also great with breakfast, toasted and spread with cream cheese.
1-¾ cups
all-purpose flour
¾
teaspoon baking soda
½
teaspoon baking powder
¾
teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
½
teaspoon ground ginger
¾ cup
honey
¼ cup
apricot jam
2/3 cup
vegetable oil
½ cup
strong brewed or instant coffee, preferably decaf, at room temperature
2 large
eggs
¼ cup
packed light brown sugar
2
tablespoons apricot brandy, or substitute any other brandy or whiskey or bourbon
1. Set oven rack in the middle of your oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Oil a 9" x 5" loaf pan and dust with flour, knocking out the excess.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the honey, apricot jam, and cooled coffee, and brandy until thoroughly combined.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs and brown sugar at high speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula, gradually add honey mixture until well combined, about a minute. Add dry ingredients and mix just until moistened, continuing to scrape down bowl. Batter will be thin.
6. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and continue to bake until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a cake tester or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes longer.
7. Cool in pan on a rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around sides of pan then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack. Turn cake upright and cool completely.
Cake can be kept for up to a week at room temperature, wrapped well in plastic wrap, or in the refrigerator. It also freezes well and can be made in advance. Note: baking time for mini muffins is 20-25 minutes; 35-40 minutes for large muffins.