To a Sweet New Year

One of the more delicious traditions of Rosh Hashana is eating apples dipped honey to symbolize our hopes for a sweet new year. Every year we celebrate the season with apple cakes or honey cakes or combinations of both apple and honey. I have seen and tried many different kinds of cakes and breads. Most of these honey cakes are rich and dense, sweet and a bit sticky.

Where as the apple cakes can be anything from apple breads to applesauce cakes, and dried apple pieces tossed into your bunt cakes. This year I searched for a soft, light cake with soft apples (baked) and honey to make for dinner before temple.

Apple Honey Cake

Serves 10 to 12

Adapted from

Baking Illustrated The Practical Kitchen Companion

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, softened but cool, plus 2 tablespoons for greasing the pan

1 1/4 cups sugar, plus 6 tablespoons for the pan

3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons light brown sugar for the pan

2 tablespoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) plain cake flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

Apples:

2 large Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

The juice of 1 lemon

1. For the cake: Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 350. Grease a standard 12-cup bundt pan with the 2 tablespoons of softened butter; dust the sides with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar then evenly distribute the remaining 4 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in the bottom of the bundt pan. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the granulated sugar, breaking up large lumps with your fingers.

2. Whisk the eggs and yolks in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup to combine. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined.

3. In a bowl of a standing mixer set at the lowest speed, combine the flour, the 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, about 30 seconds. With the mixer still running on lowest speed, add the butter 1 piece at a time in 1-second intervals and beat until the mixture resembles course meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes ( If the butter is too soft, it will make the batter smooth and soft instead of course).

4. With the mixer still running, add 1/2 cup of the egg mixture; at the lowest speed until Incorporated, 5 to 10 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. With the mixer still running, add the remaining liquid in a steady stream (this should take about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine , about 30 seconds.

5. For the apples; Toss the cubed apples with the lemon juice, light brown sugar, cinnamon, honey and distribute in an even layer over the sugar in the pan. Add the batter in 4 evan portions and gently level with an offset spatula or the back of a soup spoon.

6. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, springs back when pressed with a finger, and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, place a 12-inch square of foil onto a wire rack. Immediately invert the cake onto the foil-covered rack. Cool at least 1 hour, then slide onto a serving plate; cut into slices and serve warm and drizzled with warm honey and vanilla ice cream.