Lekach (Honey-Spice Cake)

By garciamoss

Perfumed with honey and citrus, this spiced cake is a classic at Jewish holiday tables. To make this recipe pareve for meat meals, replace the butter for greasing the pan with canola oil.

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing pan
• 2 3/4 cups flour, plus more for pan
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup honey
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 4-quart Bundt pan; set aside. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, baking powder and soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Beat 3/4 cup sugar and egg yolks in a bowl on medium-high speed of a mixer until tripled in volume, about 4 minutes. Stir in oil, honey, 2 tbsp. juice, zest, and Grand Marnier. Add dry ingredients; stir until just combined.

Beat egg whites in a bowl on high speed of a mixer until soft peaks form. Add remaining sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into batter. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of cake comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Let cool and invert onto a serving plate. Whisk remaining juice with confectioners' sugar; drizzle over cake.