German Lekach (Honey Cake) Recipe
Lekach is a traditional German cake flavored with spices like nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, and sweetened with brown sugar and honey. It has its roots in Germany's Jewish culture and is a cherished centerpiece of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - 2 ½ cups
- All-purpose flour (for pan) - 2 tbsp
- Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
- Brown sugar - ½ cup
- Baking powder - 1 tsp
- Baking soda - 1 tbsp
- Ground nutmeg - ½ tsp
- Ground mace - ½ tsp
- Ground ginger - 2 tsp
- Ground cloves - ½ tsp
- Ground cinnamon - 2 tsp
- Walnuts, toasted and ground - 2 oz
- Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
- Fresh brewed coffee - ¼ cup
- Honey - 1 ¼ cup
- Apple juice - ¾ cup
- Whisky - 2- 3 tbsp
- Vegetable oil - ¼ cup
- Eggs, beaten - 4
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180C).
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, ground walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and spices.
- In a smaller bowl, combine vanilla, coffee, honey, apple juice, and whisky until the texture is smooth.
- Add the oil, eggs, and the smooth liquid mixture into the dry bow.
- Hand-whisk or use the whisk setting at low speed until reaching a smooth dough without lumps.
- To prepare your pan, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle extra flour into the pan and move it around until all surface is covered. Once covered, clear the pan of excess flour by turning it upside down and tapping the bottom.
- Pour the smooth dough into the pan.
- Bake for 55 minutes-1 hours. To test if the loaf is ready, stick a toothpick into the center. Once you can pull the toothpick out and it remains clean, the loaf is thoroughly cooked.
- Let cool until just slightly warm and then remove from the mold. Be careful to not remove the cake when it is still hot, as it will likely crumble along the outer edges.
- You can serve immediately but it is recommended to cover and let the flavors settle for around 24 hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 467kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 9gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 461mgFiber: 3gSugar: 46g
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