Jewish Honeycake

Description

Every year I make this for Hannukah and Rosh Hashanah. It really goes over well, and is, of course, completely kosher; don't wait for the High Holidays to make it though, and I'm sure goyim will get a kick out of it too. This one is adapted from "The Moosewood Bible", by Molly Katzen.

Ingredients

• butter for the pan
• 1 cup honey (I prefer orange blossom for this recipe)
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp melted butter (you could do canola oil to remove the dairy)
• ½ cup cold black coffee (preferably some really strong brand that's been sitting around for awhile)
• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• a dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice (and cloves, if you got'em)
• ½ cup minced, slightly toasted walnuts

Apple Topping of the Delicious Variety

• 4 cups peeled, sliced, tart apple (Granny Smiths work great and I do mean peel them skin = tough)
• 2 generous tbsp lemon juice
• ¾ tsp cinnamon
• honey, to taste (brown sugar works well too)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Grease a medium sized loaf pan with the butter.
3. Beat honey in a medium bowl at high speed with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes (if you don't have an electric mixer, then you can still do it by hand - you're looking for the honey to change color to an even lighter consistency. It will also change viscosity to become more fluid)
4. Add egg, butter (or oil, you pansy), and coffee.
5. Beat for another minute (or stir until everything's well combined and aerated) * sift in the flour, salt, baking powder, and spices right into the mixture (if you don't have a sifter, then mix all the dry goods together first, and then add them gently, slowly, and in batches to the wet mixture, being sure to combine completely in between additions).
6. Spread the batter into the pan.
7. It won't go all the way up the pan, but don't you worry, it will rise.
8. Spread the remaining nuts on top.
9. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center.
10. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
11. Then rap the pan really hard a couple of times on the counter, to loosen the cake, and the loaf should come right out.
12. Cool completely before slicing (you'll probably notice cracking on the top - that's fine it gives it character) This is good by itself, but its even better when you have delicious apple topping.

Apple Topping of the Delicious Variety

1. Place apples, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the apples are soft.
3. Remove from heat and stir in honey or brown sugar to taste.
4. Spoon it piping hot over sliced cooled honeycake.
5. That's it! hope you all enjoy!.