Here’s our recipe and, briefly, the story of why we eat honey cake on Rosh Hashanah
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There’s a Chassidic custom to ask one another for something sweet to eat (usually honey cake) and to offer some to others.
The deep reason behind this is that a Jew says, a few hours before the significant High Holidays begin, “If it is to be that I will have to beg for my sustenance this coming year, I have fulfilled this by asking for the honey cake.” It was customary to receive this sweet cake from one’s rebbe on the eve of Yom Kippur along with a incere blessing for a good, sweet year.
In 1950 the Lubavitcher Rebbe told a story from his father in law, the previous Rebbe, that the Baal Shem Tov used to say that the giving of honey cake is an ancient custom, and while giving it one would say, “I give you honey cake, something sweet, and may G-d give you a good, sweet year!”
So, let’s get to it!
ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cup water
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp clove powder (optional)
4 1/2 cups flour
1 sachet baking powder
1 tsp instant coffee powder
Preparation method:
Mix all the ingredients and pour into 4 bread-loaf baking dishes. This is sufficient for four cakes. Because the batter rises a lot, it is recommended to only fill only 3/4 of the dish.
Bake until the cake has risen. Test using a knife, Push it into the cake. When you remove it, if it is dry, the cake is baked. You can also use cupcake molds, but again, remember not to fill them to the top.
If you want to decorate the cupcakes, you can take toothpicks, add a decoration to the top of the toothpick and stick it in the cupcakes.
Good Luck and enjoy!