Good Omen Cake

Rosh Hashana is fast approaching and I have a few more holiday desserts I want to share. On Rosh Hashanah it is traditional to eat foods symbolic of our hopes for a good and prosperous new year. The most recognizable of these symbols is the apple dipped in honey, but there are many more symbolic foods associated with Rosh Hashanah, such as gourds, fenugreek, leeks, beets, dates, pomegranate, and the head of a fish. In planning my Rosh Hashana meals I always try to incorporate as many of the simanim (the foods associated with good omens for the new year) as possible throughout every course of the meal. (If you are interested in my full menu, not just the desserts, leave a comment and I will share). This year I thought it would be fun to incorporate several of the simanim into a single cake to make what I call my Good Omen Cake.

This cake has apples, honey, carrots, and squash and is utterly delicious. It is like a cross between carrot cake and the best zucchini bread you ever had. I threw in some brandy soaked raisins, just because it seemed like a good idea, but feel free to leave them out if you don’t want the boozy addition. The cake is not overly sweet so it could pass for a breakfast cake (for a special Rosh Hashana morning treat) but with a nice sprinkle of powdered and maybe a side of vanilla or ginger honey ice cream it is perfect for dessert as well.

Looking for other desserts based on the simanim? Scroll to the bottom of the cake recipe for some of my favorites from the recipe archives.

Good Omen Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

1 hour, 25 minutes

Yield: 12-14 servings

Good Omen Cake

Ingredients

3 cups (13.5 oz) flour*

1 tablespoon (14 g) baking powder

1 tablespoon (14g) baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons (7g) salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 cup (8 oz) oil

1 cup (12 oz) honey

6 eggs

2 medium apples shredded (8 oz)

2 cups (7.5 oz) shredded zucchini

8 oz shredded carrots

1/2 cup (2.75 oz) raisins (optional)

2 tablespoons (1 oz) brandy (optional)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350. If using the raisins and brandy combine them in a small bowl and set aside. Grease a 12 cup bundt pan well.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle and add the oil, honey, and eggs. Stir to combine. Gently stir in the remaining ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out with moist crumbs, approximately one hour - one hour ten minutes. If it is browning too much on top cover lightly with a piece of foil. Let the cake cool in the pan for ten minutes. Run a knife around the center to loosen the cake from the pan and invert it onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

*This cake can be made gluten free by substituting (by weight) an equal amount of Authentic Foods Multi Blend Flour. Other gluten free flour mixes might work as well, but this is the one I tested. If using the gluten free flour do not remove the cake from the oven until the tester comes out clean

http://oldsite.couldntbeparve.com/2014/09/good-omen-cake/