Yom Kippur Honey Cake
It feels slightly ironic to discuss fasting whilst sharing a honey cake recipe, so here is a bit of background... Yom Kippur is all about contemplating & reflecting your year behind you as you welcome in the year ahead. It's a day when you are offered up an opportunity to really say sorry and hold a genuine place of responsibility for your actions in the months gone past. This magical day is also a gateway to the possibility of stepping outside of the physical attribute of what makes us human and expanding our consciousness to an elevated spiritual place where we perhaps one day will return to; a place where we don't need to be dependent on food and water for survival as we are pure energy and not ego. Traditionally it is also known as a day where sins are repented and the endurance of fasting 26 hours is welcomed in with a cup of sweet tea and a slice of honey cake.
I love Yom Kippur, whether you are religious or totally secular I always find that it's a day that really unites everyone. In israel no one is driving, the roads are empty and kids are riding bicycles down the freeway. Most people dress in white and are congregated in the streets reflecting, talking and just 'being'. Whether you choose to fast or not, a piece of honey cake is a must, as is taking the time to switch off, be with your family and remember the greatness of our human & spiritual potential.
Honey is a real part of jewish life, 'Chai', means life and raw honey is a symbol of this. It is used to celebrate sweet forthcomings and celebrations and in particular shared out before and after fasting on this festival day. I love honey cake and save it for these special moments, it fills me with a comforting child like satisfaction, all sticky and delicious.
I created this cake with a desire to have honey cake this yom kippur whilst being able to maintain a gluten free and non refined sugar diet. I have substituted flour with almond meal and sugar for coconut sugar which has a lower GI content. honey is honey is honey!
- 2 cups of almond meal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice (or clove)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup coffee (espresso)
- juice of 1 tangerine or orange
Put the almond meal, spices, baking soda and powder with the coconut sugar in a bowl. in a separate bowl whisk up the eggs, coconut oil, honey, coffee and juice or the tangerine or orange. Add the wet to the dry and mix together. Put in a loaf tin and bake at 350/180 for 30 mins or until knife comes out smooth.
