In 1863 Naftali’s mead tavern operated on the ground floor of the house at 10 Staroievreiska Street. It is one of the few direct records of such an establishment in Lviv’s Jewish quarter. What exactly was poured here is unknown, but people in Lviv had drunk honey drinks for centuries.
In Jewish tradition honey is also a symbol. Lekach, honey cake, is baked for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, as a wish for a sweet year. Coffee or tea in the batter deepens the flavour, and oil instead of butter keeps the cake moist.
12 slices · 20 min + 40–50 min baking · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 250 g honey
- 120 ml neutral oil
- 120 ml strong cooled coffee or black tea
- 350 g flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- a pinch of ground cloves and salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Line a tin (about 25 cm) with baking paper.
- Beat the eggs with the sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the honey and oil, still beating. Pour in the coffee or tea.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder, soda, spices and salt. Gradually fold into the egg mixture with a spatula to make a runny, smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 40–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out dry. If the top darkens too fast, cover with foil.
- Cool in the tin.
Tips
- Lekach tastes better on the second or third day. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest.
- A slightly sticky top is normal for a honey cake.
- Using oil instead of butter makes lekach pareve, neutral under kashrut: it can be served after a meat meal.
About the recipe
A traditional Ashkenazi recipe, home-style.