Friday, March 29, 2024 -
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Gefilte Manifesto: Orange-Spiced Rye Honey Cake, tested

honey_cake

The down side to many newer cookbooks is that they require non-staple ingredients. Of course, this is also part of their appeal, as the final product will be something new to your palate and table. But it requires the kind of planning and shopping that many of us just don’t have.

This honey cake from The Gefilte Manifesto is the best of both worlds. Nearly all of the ingredients will be found in your kitchen cupboard — except one: rye flour. Most of us don’t have that hanging around, but picking up just one special ingredient to end up with a traditional cake with a unique twist seems like a pretty good bargain.

Orange-Spiced Rye Honey Cake

Makes 1 9×5-inch loaf. Serves 10-12. (Double the recipe if baking in a standard Bundt pan.)

RMJ note: The mix was too large for our standard loaf pan and the top of the cake did catch. (Luckily when serving this cake the bottom becomes the top!) We recommend baking it in a Bundt but keeping a close watch.

1½ cups vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup pure honey
¾ cup lukewarm coffee (brewed and cooled slightly)
1 tsp. packed grated orange zest
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rye flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Generously grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/4 cups of oil, the eggs, sugar, honey, coffee and orange zest. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture, then stir with a fork or a whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until set in the middle — the cake should hold firm when lightly pressed on top. Be careful not to leave it in the oven for too long or it will dry out.

Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes (1 hour for a Bundt cake) before carefully inverting it and removing the pan. Slice and serve with fresh fruit and tea.




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