Honey cake and apple slices dipped in honey are traditional food for Rosh Hashanah, the festival of the Jewish New Year celebrated in the fall. This fragrant, moist cake combines both foods, making it a fitting treat for this holiday.

serves 14

Ingredients:

Golden Apple and Honey Topping
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
3 large eggs
3/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup warm coffee
2 cups Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Golden Apple and Honey Topping
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and sliced
1/3 cup honey

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. In large bowl, beat sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in honey and lemon zest. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg. Add to sugar mixture alternately with coffee, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in apples and nuts.
2. In small skillet, heat honey; add apple. Cook, turning slices occasionally, until tender and glazed.
3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare Golden Apple and Honey Topping.
4. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely. Arrange apples on top of cake and serve.