Leah Koenig’s latest book celebrates desserts, featuring 100 Jewish sweets to enjoy throughout the year — for holidays, Shabbat and everyday occasions. I chose this recipe for its moist texture and gently sweet flavor. Growing up, my family’s dessert table always included a loaf of honey cake from a local Jewish bakery, which I carefully avoided. Too sweet and too heavy-handed for me, it always sent me reaching for the fresh berries instead.

As an adult hosting my own family dinners, I experimented with apple, plum and honey cakes. When I recently tried this one, it was a standout with both family and guests. Its apples and honey — symbols of hope for a sweet year — make it especially fitting for Rosh Hashanah. Once I prepared this modern take on honey cake, I knew it was the one I would serve when dessert time arrived. A bit of brown sugar and strong coffee takes the edge off the classic honey cake’s intense sweetness.

As Koenig writes, “the thick sweet-tart layer of apple butter glaze brings a level of sophistication that will make the cake the star of the dessert table.” With its warm fall spices, this cake would also be lovely for any autumn celebration.

Honey Cake with Apple Butter Frosting

Makes one 8-­inch (20 cm) round cake

For the cake:

1 1/3 cups all-­purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup neutral vegetable oil

1/3 cup mild honey

1/2 packed cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup brewed coffee (decaf or regular), slightly cooled

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the apple butter frosting:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter

1/2 packed cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup apple butter

1 tablespoon milk or nondairy milk

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Chopped toasted pecans for sprinkling (optional)

Make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180°C). Grease an 8-­inch (20 cm) round springform pan or cake pan.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Whisk together the oil, honey, brown sugar, coffee, egg and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir to thoroughly combine. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

4. Bake the cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then gently unmold the cake and place on the rack to cool completely.

When the cake is fully cooled, make the frosting:

1. Combine the butter, brown sugar, apple butter, milk and salt in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, and let bubble vigorously for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the powdered sugar and cinnamon.

2. Drizzle and spread the frosting evenly over the cake. If desired, while the frosting is still warm, sprinkle the top of the cake with chopped pecans. Let the cake sit until the frosting sets, about 10 minutes, before serving.

Recipe notes

This amount of batter will also make 12 cupcakes. Bake them until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Excerpted from “The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets” by Leah Koenig. Used with permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including “Seriously Simple Parties,” and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)

©2026 Diane Rossen Worthington. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.