Mini Glazed Honey Loaf Cakes

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (and one of the High Holidays), is in less than a week. It begins this coming Sunday night. And honey cakes are a staple on Rosh Hashanah. They're classic. They're essential. Because who doesn't want a sweet, honey-full year?

And so, I'd be very remiss not to share a honey cake recipe today with you all. And boyyyyyyy have I got the perfect honey cake recipe for you. 

Here's why these mini glazed honey loaf cakes are perfection:

• These honey cakes are tender and softttttttt. Like very. And fluffy. And delicate.
• These honey cakes are perfectly spiced. I added all my favorite warm autumn spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg and ginger and allspice (no cloves, cuz I don't like those). In just the right amounts. There's also black tea (steeped in boiled water) added to the batter. Cuz sometimes you gotta be extra. 
• These honey cakes stay soft for weeks. Yes, really – weeeeeeks. They're magical. Honey acts as a sort of preservative, keeping the cakes fresh and moist and soft for about two weeks. In fact, these cakes are better on the second and third and fourth day than they are the day they're baked. Because the flavors intensify. So do feel free to bake these honey loaves today and serve them next week on Rosh Hashanah. 

See? Perfection. But wait, there's more. 

Like I mentioned, honey cake is the classic Rosh Hashanah dessert. But sometimes classic can be a bit mundane and boring. A plain honey cake, while usually very delicious, can get old pretty quickly, especially when it's the same recipe year after year. 

And so, to put a twist on the classic, this honey cake batter is divided into mini loaf tins. Because mini loaf cakes instead of honey cake dumped into a 9x13 foil pan? I'll take the former, thankyouverymuch.

Aside from the adorable mini loaf form of these honey cakes, there's also the addition of a sweet, glossy cinnamon glaze drizzled over each loaf.

AND. After the glaze, the honey loaves get topped with a sprinkling of toasted coconut flakes. For crunch and beauty and extra dimensions of flavor. Mostly for beauty though, if I'm being totally honest. 

Unlike a slice of honey cake, which is great for your countertop but may not be the most exciting dessert to serve on Rosh Hashanah, the fancy mini loaf form and the glossy glaze and the pretty toasted coconut flakes all come together to form a highly presentable and delicious dessert. Just add a scoop of sorbet on the side. 

Soft and fluffy. Tender and moist. Spiced and sweet. Quick and easy. Beautiful and delicious. Classic with a twist.

Mini glazed honey loaf cakes - you shall be making this new year extra sweet. 

Mini Glazed Honey Loaf Cakes

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Yield: 12 mini loaf cakes

½ cup strong black tea
1 ¾ cups loosely packed flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
Pinch of allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup honey
½ cup + 2 tablespoons oil
½ cup orange juice
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
1 tablespoon oil
Water/milk for thinning
-Coconut flakes, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 12 mini loaf pans well.

2. Steep a black tea bag in ½ cup boiled water. Set aside to cool a bit.

3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the rest of the ingredients, adding cooled tea last. Mix everything together until just combined.

5. Divide batter into prepared loaf pans, filling about 2/3rds full. Bake for 16-19 minutes, until loaves spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

6. Meanwhile, spread coconut flakes out onto a baking sheet and toast in oven (on 350 F) till golden brown, 7-10 minutes.

7. Let cakes cool in pans for a few minutes before easing out of molds with a knife. Let cool completely before glazing.

8. In a small bowl, whisk together glaze ingredients, adding as much water/milk as necessary to achieve a thick yet pourable consistency. Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf cakes and sprinkle with toasted coconut before glaze sets. Store cakes at room temperature for up to two weeks.