Last updated on July 13th, 2026.
My Rosh Hashanah honey cake is everything a traditional Jewish version should be: soft, moist, and filled with warm honey flavor. Made with applesauce for an exceptionally tender crumb, it’s naturally dairy-free (parve) and perfect for celebrating the Jewish New Year.
Honey cake (you may know it as lekach cake) is a “must have” staple cake during the Jewish Holiday of Rosh Ha’shanah and Yum-Kippur. Because of the what I can only describe as a graved in stone tradition to enjoy a cake sweetened with honey as a symbolic gesture of hope and wish for the sweet new year ahead of us.
Now let me share with you the frustration of growing up having to endure a dry, dense cake that tastes anything but honey, for the sake of tradition. Well, that was until I developed this recipe (ok so a whole library of Rosh Ha’shana Recipes): it actually tastes like warm, delicious, spiced honey.
My Two Secret Ingredients
The secret to the enhanced honey flavor is the Unsweetened, Unflavored applesauce. It is high in water, very acidic, and not very flavorful so it provides moisture and balances the sweetness coming from the honey while enhancing its flavor.
For the most tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture I used vegetable oil (also makes is dairy-free). Oil is 100% fat, and its liquid consistency coats the flour granulates so instead of a dry dense texture, we have a tender, moist cake.
Baking A Happy New Year
- A stand mixer vs. a hand mixer: If using a hand mixer, make sure not to over mix the eggs, sugar, and oil, it might incorporate too much air and the cake will ooze out of the pan. And use a whisk or a spatula to add the dry and wet ingredients.
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. If cold, the batter will not incorporate well and the cake might bake dense and chewy.
- When using a homemade apple sauce, since it is very fresh, it contains more pectin, which may interfere with the setting of the cake. (The cake might look wet or unset). If that happens, next time, reduce the amount of apple sauce to 125 g. (about ½ cup).
- Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. When first coming out of the oven, it is still baking; while it is done, it is unset.
Your oven is different than mine so please pay attention to the cake and not the timer. The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out from the center of the cake with a few moist crumbs. Depending on your oven, this can happened before of after the recommended time.
Serving The Cake
Slice and serve when the cake is completely cool. When we slice too soon, the steam evaporates, instead of turning back into moisture, and as a result the cake might dry out.
The cake does not need any topping, or cremes, it is perfect as it is, and actually tastes better a day later, so you can bake it the night before.
Moist Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake (Parve)
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 Cup (200g) Unbleached all-purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- Pinch Salt
- 1/3 + 2 TBS Cup (150g) Honey
- 3/4 Cup (200g) Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- 3/4 Cup (150g) Dark or Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Cup (240g) Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 340F. Line the bottom of a nine-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, (200g) cinnamon (2 1/2 teaspoons), salt (pinch), and baking soda (1/2 teaspoon) together and set aside.
- In a large measuring cup, mix the applesauce (200g)and honey (150g). Set aside.
- In a bowl of a standing mixer, place the sugar (150g) and eggs (4) and mix on medium speed for a few until slightly lighter in color. About 4-5 minutes if using a stand mixer, 45-60 seconds if using a hand mixer.
- Slowly drizzle the oil (240ml) into the bowl. Mix just until incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with the Applesauce honey mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan or divide between the mini pans.
- Bakes until the center is golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs from the center of the cake. About 45-50 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool before slicing.
- If you chose, drizzle the cake with 1/4 of warm honey or dust it with some powdered sugar.
Notes
- Best to store the cake at room temperature, covered for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate.
- To freeze, wrap the cake with plastic wrap and in a plastic bag and freeze for up to two months.
Sounds delicious! How much ahead can it be baked? Does it freeze well?
Yes it freezer very well. You can can bake it a head ever few weeks ahead, wrap it in foil and ziplock and freeze. Take it our few hours before serving, it is best when eaten room temperature.
Thank you Dikla. Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Jennifer!!!!
Nature is just beautiful!!!
Great recipe . Tried it and it look amazing and tastes so good . Merci
Thank you so much Affy!!! so glad you liked it!
Fantastic recipe! Will make this over the weekend. Can I replace oil with unsalted butter??? If yes, then how much butter instead of oil?
Thank you and yes you can use butter instead of oil. Use 2 sticks (226 g / 8 oz) and beat them with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time witing for one to completely incorporate before adding the next. I will add and say that I never baked this cake using butter and highly recommend to stick to the recipe as is and use vegetable oil.
I just made this cake and I left out half of the brown sugar and I substituted the baking soda with 1½ TSP baking powder and it looks great! Probably doesn’t taste as sweet as the original but it is still delicious!
So glad you were able to fit the cake to your liking!!! thank you for your feedback!
I baked this the same day you posted this on your Instagram page, I did however substitute the apple sauce and used sour cream instead also added clove to my honey . This this goes perfect with tea or coffee. My house smelled so amazing. All your recipes look amazing and are easy to follow. Thank you for sharing, I can’t wait to try out some more of your creations! Happy baking
yay! that is so so amazing!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!!!
Hjust read the recipe for your Honeycake, looks delicious. Am I able to substitute almond flour for a gluten free cake and would you have the substitute measurements? Thank you.
Hi Louise,
Do not replace almond flour with all-purpose flour.
For gluten free use 1:1 gluten free flour and if you want add 1/3 cups of finely ground almonds.
I made this in a Bundt pan and it’s a gorgeous cake. My house smelled heavenly for hours. It tastes mild and not too sweet and the applesauce brings out the honey flavor. It really only took 15 minutes to prep. This one is going into the family cookbook with no revisions!
Thank you so much, Shannon, so glad you enjoyed it, and the best part is that it will taste better the next day and the day after that.
Dee, This recipe is states it is dairy free yet includes eggs??? What can I substitue
for the eggs?
Hi Dorene
Eggs are not dairy, so this recipe is dairy-free but not eggs-free. I am afraid I am not familiar with egg substitutions.
What is a substitute for apple sauce
you can use sour cream
I baked this for a friend’s dinner. Everyone loved the cake and my friend asked for the recipe – she thought it was the best honey cake she’s ever had.
Could I substitute coconut oil for the vegetable oil?
You can use melted (and cooled) coconut oil if you do not mind the flavor. It may overpower the honey, and keep in mind that coconut oil, like butter solidifies and it most likely effect the moistness of the cake.