Honey Cake (Lekach)

This honey cake is a recipe I searched for for a very long time — the kind of cake that stays with you after the first bite. It reminds me of the dark, aromatic, slightly spiced honey cake I once tried in Israel. This traditional cake, called “lekach,” is usually made for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It’s rich, deeply flavored, and beautifully fragrant with honey and warm spices. I was lucky to find this version after moving to Canada, thanks to Shifra, an Israeli friend who shared both the cake and its recipe with me 

Ingredients (makes 2 loaf pans, 10 × 25 cm/4 × 10 in)

• 1 tbsp instant coffee

• 1 cup boiling water (240 ml)

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/3 cups dark honey

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml)

• 1 cup sugar (250 g)

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 3 cups flour (375 g)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Steps

1. Dissolve the instant coffee in boiling water and set aside to cool slightly

2. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, honey, and oil using a mixer

3. While mixing, gradually add the coffee mixture, sugar, and vanilla

4. Add all the dry ingredients and mix until you get a smooth batter

5. Pour the batter into prepared loaf pans

6. Bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for about 45 minutes