Vegan Honey Cake

This sweet and spiced vegan honey cake is moist and substantial, with an optional citrusy icing.

Honey cake is traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah as a symbol of the sweetness of the new year. While it can be controversial - some insist upon a honey cake every year as a matter of custom, while others think it is too heavy and sweet - this rendition may just satisfy everyone. Adapted from Marcy Goldman's Majestic and Moist Honey Cake in A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, this vegan honey cake uses a mixture of agave and maple syrup for a similar-to-honey flavor, enhanced with cinnamon and allspice. The texture is soft and moist but substantial, and the optional citrusy icing adds a bit of tang.

Looking for other Rosh Hashanah recipes? Check out Apple Cake, Sweet Apple Knishes, and Noodle Kugel.

How to Make the Vegan Honey Cake

Gather your ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Vegetable oil
• Agave syrup
• Maple syrup
• Granulated sugar
• Dark brown sugar
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Orange juice
• Water
• Vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar
• Non-dairy milk

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan, then line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Make a well in the center of the bowl, and add the oil, agave, maple syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, orange juice, water, and vanilla extract. Whisk well, until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then carefully lift it out of the pan onto a wire rack. When the cake is fully cool, prepare the icing (if using). In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, and orange juice until smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle the icing over the loaf cake. Allow the icing to harden, then slice and serve.

Substitutions

Light brown sugar can be substituted for dark brown sugar if desired.

Storage

Store the honey cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Alternatively, individual slices or the entire loaf cake may be frozen for up to 3 months (for best results, if freezing the entire loaf, freeze and thaw before icing).