This easy Paleo Honey Cake recipe is fan-favorite made with healthy low-carb almond flour. I love turning classic desserts into wholesome gluten-free versions that everyone can eat.
What is Honey Cake?
Honey Cake, a traditional Jewish dessert eaten during Rosh Hashanah, is referred to as Lebkuchen in Yiddish. I love serving it at our High Holiday table whether for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur break fast. We’ve been breaking our fast with warming, comforting foods since my Ayurvedic training in the early 1990’s. This lightly sweetened Jewish dessert, spiced with cinnamon fits that bill perfectly.
What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and the start of the High Holidays for Jews. Traditionally, we eat honey during this time as the ritual sets the tone for a sweet year to come. The custom of dipping apples in honey at the Rosh Hashanah meal has been one of the boys’ favorite since they were very little!
SCD Paleo Honey Cake
Most honey cake recipes include coffee. I left it out of this one to simplify the recipe and make it even easier. My husband, who has no dietary restrictions, loves this cake! As you can see from the photo above, a large piece has been devoured. One of our friends said this was the best honey cake she had ever eaten, gluten-free or not!
Paleo Honey Cake
Ingredients
- 2½ cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup palm shortening
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves
- In a separate bowl, combine honey, shortening, and eggs
- Mix wet ingredients into dry, then stir in raisins
- Grease and flour an 8 inch springform pan
- Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes
- Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour
- Serve
Gluten-Free Rosh Hashanah Dessert Recipes
Here are some additional paleo dessert recipes for you!
Your Favorite Rosh Hashanah Recipes?
What are your favorite recipes for Rosh Hashanah? Are they family traditions that have been passed down from your Bubby? Or are they new dishes that you’ve adopted to create your own tradition?
Free exclusive eBook, plus recipes and health tips, delivered to your inbox.
This recipe is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first published it in 2012.
Nancy says
I’ve made several of your honey cakes over the past 2 weeks, for the holidays. I substituted pieces of apples instead of raisins. The cakes came out great! My biggest pleasure came from coworkers gobbling it up in no time at our office potluck. Usually my healthy deserts sit while the typical deserts get gobbled up. A wonderful change.
I want to thank you for your wonderful books & online recipes. I have recommended your books & website to many people looking for support in changing their health. You are a blessing to me & to so many. Please keep it going.
Chag Sameach.
Elana says
Chag Sameach Nancy! I’m so happy to hear that your coworkers are gobbling up this Honey Cake :-)
Audrey says
I made this for Rosh Hashanah. It rose beautifully in the pan but sank just a bit when it cooled. I baked it for 37 minutes at which point it tested done using the pick method. We ate it the day it was baked and the center was more moist than I expected it to be which made me think it was under baked even though it tested done. However, the next day the moisture had distributed more evenly. This was my first foray into baking with almond flour (I used Honeyville) and I am wondering about what level of moistness I should expect from this (and other almond flour) recipe and if there is a better indicator of doneness than a clean pick.
It is a delicious cake and I have passed the recipe along to others who are GF/paleo.
Elana says
Audrey, thanks for your comment! For best results use the recommended brands of almond flour when making my recipes:
https://elanaspantry.com/ingredients/almond-flour/
I’m so happy to hear this cake is delicious!
Elana
doctorsh says
What can be substitute for the vegan shortening.
How bout coconut oil?
Elana says
doctorsh, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Mo says
Do you have a substitute for vegan shortening?
Elana says
Mo, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Amanda says
This is another fabulous recipe. I’ve just made it and couldn’t wait for it to cool down. It’s yummy and not too sweet. Thanks Elana!
Elana says
Amanda, I’m so happy to hear this recipe is fabulous!
Christine says
Would I be able to substitute the eggs with the flaxseed and water mixture for this recipe? I would love to try this honey cake recipe for my son. Thank you!
Kris Mays says
I used Ener-G egg replacer successfully.
Megan says
I made this cake several times, but each time, the cake sank in the middle and did not set properly. Did anyone else have this problem? Next time I am going to cover the edges and cook it a little longer and see how it does.
Elana says
Megan, thanks for your comment! This typically happens when the brands of almond flour I recommend are not used. For best results use the these brands when making my recipes:
https://elanaspantry.com/ingredients/almond-flour/
Enjoy!
Elana
Megan says
This looks yummy! Do you think this would work using 8 mini loaf pans to make individual loafs?
Elana says
Megan, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Abby says
I have been wanting to try this recipe and this morning I did. but I changed things around a little to accommodate what I had on hand. The biggest change was that I made this into muffins. I REALLY wanted apple muffins! So, I added chopped apples with the raisins. I also used butter instead of shortening, because that is what I have (and to be honest, I LOVE butter) I also used Trader Joe’s Almond Meal even though I know it is no the same thing as blanched almond flour. It’s what I had in my pantry and it’s much less expensive than Honeyville. It worked beautifully! The muffins were fantastic for a lazy Sunday brunch!
This will now be a my go-to muffin recipe – I can see added all manner of fruits and nuts to it. Thanks Elana!
Dinie says
Great idea?
How long did you bake the muffins?
Sarah says
Just made this cake and it is wonderful!
Elana says
Sarah, thanks for letting me know this is wonderful!