On Rosh Hashanah, Jews of most communities say a blessing on apples dipped in honey and serve honey cakes, wishing for a sweet new year. On Tu B’Shvat, dates are served as part of the holiday tradition of expressing the longing for the Land of Israel by eating symbolic dishes made of the Seven Species of the Land of Israel.
This date and honey cake is a great way for celebrating both holidays. Dates are among the Seven Species and honey in the Bible refers to not only bees honey, but in some occasions to date honey or even the dates themselves.And it is definitely sweet enough for a sweet new year blessing.
In this recipe, the dates make for a dense and moist cake, and the cocoa adds intensity to the flavor.
Date and honey cake
Course: Cakes and cookiesCuisine: Jewish, IsraeliDifficulty: Easy10
servings15
minutes50
minutes1
hour5
minutesAs with most loaf cakes, this one is better the day after.
Pressed dates are available at some kosher supermarkets, as well as Middle Eastern supermarkets and online. You can also make the cake using regular dates (instructions the recipe below.)
Date syrup (known as silan in Israel) is available online and at Middle Eastern and kosher markets. Regular honey is a good substitute.
Use parve chocolate chips to make the cake parve.
INGREDIENTS
12 oz. pitted medjool dates or 9 oz. pressed dates (see note above)
1 cup boiling water
¾ cup corn or canola oil, or neutral flavored oil
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup honey or date syrup (silan, see note above)
2 large eggs
1½ cups flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the topping
2 tablespoons light brown (or regular) sugar
¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips (use parve chocolate chips for a parve cake)
½ cup chopped walnut
DIRECTIONS
- Oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line a 9” x 5” or a 11” x 4” loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Put pitted dates or pressed dates in the bowl of a food processor together with the boiling water and press the dates down to make sure they are completely covered with water. After 5 minutes mix to create a paste. Set aside. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix oil, sugar, honey and eggs.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat paddle (or in a large bowl and a spatula), mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the oil mixture and the pureed dates to the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Pour batter into pan.
- Sprinkle sugar all over the batter, then sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnut.
- Bake for 55-66 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to the center of the loaf comes out with crumbs. Let cool on a cooling rack. Keep at room temperature, lightly covered with aluminum foil, for up to 5 days
How much boiling water do I use?
Hi Jaye, 1 cup.
Thanks for noticing that info was missing, I guess I deleted that at one point by mistake.
The info is now in the recipe itself, thanks!