Eleanor was one of Jan's good friends. The ingredients for this recipe were handwritten on an old letter from a synagogue. Honey cake is a traditional dessert for the Jewish high holidays. The idea is that it'll usher in a sweet new year.
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons oil
4 eggs
1 cup strong coffee (add 2 to 3 tablespoons of instant coffee to hot water)
1 cup honey
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups floured raisins and/or other dried fruit*
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
Jan was minimalist in her directions: "Beat. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour." For those (like me) who crave more directions, I consulted with other similar recipes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine hot water and instant coffee. Add oil and honey. Whisk.
Add dry ingredients and beat with electric mixer. You'll have a liquidy, mocha-colored batter. Stir in dried fruit.
Pour batter into large tube pan or 9-by-13-inch pan. If you want to use nuts, spray the bottom of the tube pan with oil and put them on the bottom, or sprinkle them on top of the batter in rectangular pan.
Bake for one hour (until a toothpick comes out clean).
*Note: Gently sprinkle the dried fruit with a scant teaspoon of flour. This keeps them from sinking into the batter. Don't use too much flour or it may not bake with the cake.
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