Orange Almond Honey Cake

A delicious, honey-sweetened almond cake to celebrate the holiday of Rosh Hashana, symbolically eaten with hopes of a 'sweet new year'.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cake:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup ground blanched almonds

Fluffy Orange Frosting:
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Directions:

1. For Cake: In large mixing bowl, cream shortening. Gradually add honey, beating until light and fluffy. Add orange peel. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice. Mix until smooth. Add ground almonds, mix well.
3. Pour into 2 (8-inch) round cake pans after greasing bottoms of pans only.
4. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 30 minutes or until cake tests done in center. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to cool completely on rack.
5. Frost with Fluffy Orange Frosting and decorate with 1/4 cup toasted almond slices.
6. For Fluffy Orange Frosting: In top of double boiler, combine egg whites, salt and orange juice. With an electric mixer, beat mixture until egg whites hold their shape in soft peaks. Continue beating while adding honey in a fine stream. Cook over boiling water, beating constantly for 5 minutes until mixture forms stiff peaks when beater is raised. Remove from heat.
7. Add vanilla and beat frosting 2 minutes longer until frosting is of spreading consistency.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the National Honey Board.