Apple Cake With Apricot Jam Glaze

Tonight, Sunday the 9th of September, marks the first day of the Jewish New Year 2018, Rosh HaShanah 5779. The holiday extends until Tuesday September 11th at nightfall. There are four holiday meals to prepare – five, if you include late afternoon of the second day, and that’s not to mention formal or informal breakfasts for the Kiddush ceremony after morning prayer services.

That means that in Jewish homes, there’s a whole lot of cooking going on. While the home cook can fall back on tried and tested family favorites, it’s often a challenge to produce something new and delicious for the festive table. This apple and honey cake recipe elegantly echoes the apple dipped in honey from the platter of simanim eaten at the start of the two evening meals.

Apple Cake With Apricot Glaze and Flaked Almonds

Ingredients:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup golden raisins
2.5 tablespoons Calvados apple brandy, or rum
½ teaspoon vanilla essence

For Batter:
1.5 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 cups granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ cup oil
¼ cup milk or apple juice
2 eggs
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

For Glaze:
1 cup warm apricot jam
½ cup almond flakes

You will need 2 medium bowls and 1 large bowl, and a 24 cm. 9” springform pan.

Preheat the oven to 180° C – 374° F.

Line the cake pan with baking parchment or grease and flour the bottom and sides.
In one medium bowl, mix the apple cubes, raisins, Calvados, sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla essence.
In the second medium bowl, blend the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
In the large third bowl, mix the sugar, vanilla, oil, milk or juice, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix well.
Fold in the apple mixture from the first bowl.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Spoon the warm apricot jam over the cake while it’s still hot.
Scatter almond flakes over the cake.

You might like to try our traditional honey chiffon cake too.

We at Green Prophet wish all those observing the holiday a sweet, healthy, and prosperous new year.

Author: Miriam Kresh

Miriam Kresh is an American ex-pat living in Israel. Her love of Middle Eastern food evolved from close friendships with enthusiastic Moroccan, Tunisian and Turkish home cooks. She owns too many cookbooks and is always planning the next meal. Miriam can be reached at miriam (at) greenprophet (dot) com.

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