Honey cake is traditionally made with lots of oil, eggs, white flour, sugar and of course honey. I wanted to make a healthy honey cake without using to much oil and refined sugars so last week for Rosh Hashanah I tested this cake on my family. Both Gordy and Zach said it was good but I could tell by how quickly they gulped a glass of water that it must a little dry. Yale told me to make it again and try adding zucchini. Guess what..? This cake is now perfectly moist. The spelt flour makes the cake mildly sweet and has a slight nutty flavour that adds real character. The additions of applesauce and zucchini make it light and moist. Happy New Year.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups spelt flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or fresh
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 medium zucchini, shredded
- 1/2 cup safflower or grapeseed oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional
Directions:
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the first 6 dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir together until the wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add the zucchini with the wet ingredients.
- Cut two pieces of baking parchment to fit the bottoms of two 8-inch loaf pans. Lightly oil the pans. Divide the batter between the two lightly oiled loaf pans. Sprinkle the almonds over the tops of the loaves.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf tests clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely. Remove the loaves from the pans.
- Cut each loaf into 10 slices to serve.
If you want to make this cake vegan substitute 1/2 cup of agave and 1/2 cup of maple syrup for the honey.
I like to make this honey cake at least a day or two before serving as the taste gets better. If not using store in the fridge.