The Best Rosh Hashanah Gluten Free Honey Cake Recipe (2024)

This gluten-free honey cake recipe is moist and bursting with honey flavor, with a perfect crumb and a gorgeous candied walnuts topping. This perfect Rosh Hashanah dessert is going to lead to a sweet year to come.

Guaranteed to be the best Rosh Hashanah cake recipe you've ever tried, these gluten-free honey cakes are going to ruin all other honey cakes for you!

Bake these as mini bundt cakes for individual serving, in mini loaf pans to give as gifts, or as a whole loaf pan or bundt pan.

This was inspired by my other gluten-free honey apple cake recipe on this site, and pairs well with this amazing apple and beet salad.

A Rosh Hashana Honey Cake for a Sweet Year

My first experience with honey cake as a Rosh Hashana dessert came as a child in Israel. Specifically, it started with an Osem House Cake.

Now, not to offend anyone over at Osem who may be reading this blog, but this cake gave a whole new definition to 'dry'. It crumbled open a single bite, with the dry bits clinging to the roof of your mouth and clogging your throat. The flavor profile could only be described as 'dense' and 'artificially sweet'. Any attempt to eat it without a copious amount of tea or coffee would result in a choking hazard.

In short, it was enough to put me off honey cakes for years.

It was only when I tried a honey cake passed through the generations in the family of a Montreal-based friend (Hi, Rochelle!) that I realized what honey cakes should taste like: moist, fluffy, flavorful, rich and deeply scented.

Like a hug from your favorite grandmother or a long sojourn in a comfortable, worn out armchair, a good honey cake should transport you to simpler times.

And of course, a good Rosh Hashana honey cake should serve as the opening for a sweet Jewish new year.

Why do we eat honey cakes for Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year, and one the High Holidays - the most important dates in the Jewish calendar.

It is thought that if you eat sweet foods - chief among them apples and honey - on Rosh Hashana, the year to follow is guaranteed to be a sweet one!

Over the years, honey cake has evolved to be the symbol of the ultimate sweet Jewish new year, and the ultimate Rosh Hashana dessert. Each family tends to have their own Rosh Hashana honey recipe, passed down from mother to son.

And now, this easy gluten free Rosh Hashana honey cake recipe has become our family's favorite Rosh Hashana dessert - as well as any family who tries it!

For more Rosh Hashana recipes:

What makes this the best gluten-free honey cake recipe?

This gluten-free honey cake recipe can be made as a Rosh Hashanah dessert or just because - but in either case, it's definitely going to be the best gluten free honey cake you'll ever try!

Why do I say that? Because this cake is:

• Moist with a capital M - with plenty of honey, coffee or tea and eggs, there is not an ounce of dryness here
• Gluten-free and lactose free
• Made with almond flour - so it has a great crumb
• Easy - requiring only two bowls!
• Quick - it takes about 10 minutes to prep the cake itself, and the glaze and walnuts can be made while the cake bakes
• Can be made into mini honey cakes or served as a whole loaf cake or bundt cake
• Endlessly customizable - check out my adaptations section below!
• Can be made in advance

If you love gluten free cake as much as we do, you will want to check out all of my yummyGluten Free Cake Recipes!

Can I bake this Rosh Hashana honey cake recipe in a loaf pan or bundt pan?

Yes, you can! The recipe as written makes 12 mini bundt cakes, or 4 6-inch loaf cakes.

To bake it in a loaf pan, use one large banana-bread sized 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. I use this loaf pan, though you can also use this decorative Nordicware loaf pan for a special treat. Use the quantities stated in this honey cake recipe, and increase the baking time to 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

To bake it in a bundt pan, use a pan like the one I have. Increase the recipe quantities by 1.5 times, and bake the cake for 40-60 minutes, testing it for doneness with a toothpick.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you'll need to make my ultimate gluten free Rosh Hashana dessert. You can make the gluten-free honey cake recipe on its own, top it with a honey glaze, or go the whole way and make the candied walnuts and honey glaze all together.

For honey cakes:

• honey - use 100% gluten free honey to avoid any gluten contamination. If you are vegan, you can also use maple syrup or agave syrup in this gluten free cake.
• coffee or tea - this provides the cake with its characteristic moist structure. Don't skip!
• eggs - you can make this into an egg free honey cake by using JUST Eggs, or your favorite vegan egg replacer.
• brown sugar - brown sugar, which is white sugar mixed with molasses, adds even more moistness to this delicious cake. You can use brown sugar replacement or event coconut sugar here, but the cake won't be as moist.
• butter, melted, or oil - unsalted butter is traditional, but I love making coconut oil honey cake or even browning my butter first to add even more flavor.
• almond flour - this is what helps give this gluten-free honey cake structure and moistness.
• gluten-free oat flour - you can use all-purpose flour or cassava flour to make this into a flourless honey cake.
• baking powder - gives this cake rise. Use 100% gluten free baking powder to avoid issues.
• baking soda - augments the baking powder. Needed due to the high water content in this cake.
• cinnamon - this deepens the flavor of the cake, but can be skipped.
• orange zest - I love adding citrus zest to my cakes. You can use lemon zest instead, or omit altogether.
• salt - salt helps accentuate the flavor of baked goods. You can skip it if needed.

For honey glaze:

• powdered sugar - this is a SWEET cake for Rosh Hashana, so there's even more sugar! You can use a powdered sugar replacement as well.
• orange juice or milk - this binds the powdered sugar. You can even use water.

For candied walnuts topping:

• butter - to sautee the walnuts. You can use coconut oil.
• walnuts, halved - walnuts go very well with honey cake, but you can use another nut if you prefer.
• honey - of course there's even more honey in a honey cake topping.

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment

• Large bowl
• 2 small or medium bowls
• Whisk, standing mixer or hand-held mixer
• Spatula
• 9 x 5-inch cake pan, 12 mini bundt cake pans, or 4 square 6-inch mini loaf pans
• Non-stick pan
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Step-by-step Instructions

You can make this Rosh Hashana dessert recipe as mini gluten-free honey cakes, or as one large flourless honey cake.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and prepare a 9 x 5-inch cake pan, 6 mini bundt cake pans, or 4 square 6-inch mini loaf pans. For easy removal, you can also insert parchment paper into the rectangular cake pans.

Prepare honey mixture and wet batter

In a bowl, stir together honey and coffee (or tea). Let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until well emulsified. Gradually add melted butter or oil. Whisk to combine (you can also do this in the bowl of a standing mixer).

Gradually whisk in cooled honey mixture.

Combine dry ingredients

In another bowl, combine dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, orange zest and salt.

Gradually and slowly whisk dry ingredients in with the wet until just combined (you can keep doing all this in a standing mixer).

Bake honey cakes

Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Transfer them onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean: 30 minutes for mini cakes, or 40 minutes for a rectangular cake.

Prepare glaze

While cakes are baking, prepare glaze: transfer powdered sugar to a bowl, and gradually add in the orange juice, whisking throughout until a thick, pourable glaze is achieved.

Prepare candied walnuts

Toast honey glazed nuts: in a large non-stick skillet set to medium heat, melt butter. Add honey and nuts. Mix well with a spatula. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour nuts onto a parchment-paper lined baking sheet or large platter, and let cool.

When cakes have come out of the oven, let them cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cookie drying rack, and let cool fully.

Glaze Rosh Hashana honey cakes

Once cake are cool, pour glaze over cake. Top with honey-glazed walnuts. You can also decorate the cake with pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs or cranberries, as desired.

Storage

Leftover cake will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Can I make this honey cake ahead of time?

All the components (cake, glaze and candied walnuts) can also be prepared in advance and kept separately.The gluten free honey cake can be assembled in advance, but the longer the glaze sits, the less visible it'll become.

Tips for baking this easy gluten free honey cakes:

• Bake these as mini bundt cakes for a cute presentation! I used this silicone mini bundt cake mold for ease removal.
• If you prefer a smaller cake to give as a gift, try baking it in these mini loaf pans. I used 3, and had some batter leftover for a couple of muffins.
• Use fresh orange juice and orange zest for best results.
• If using milk, you can also use non-dairy milk of your choice.
• Ideally, do not substitute the honey or coffee used in the honey mixture. It helps the honey become more liquid and mix with the rest of the batter better. It also helps offset the sweetness of the honey.
• Decorate the cakes with pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs or even cranberries later in winter.

Adaptations & substitutions

This gluten free honey cake recipe is a naturally gluten-free lactose free honey cake . Try the following adaptations and substitutions to spice it up:

• You can use olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil or even brown butter (butter that you cook in a pan until it becomes nutty and brown) as the fat in this cake.
• Use 2 cups of all-purpose flour if making this cake for non-celiacs or people who don't have to eat gluten-free.
• For a vegan honey cake, substitute the eggs for JUST eggs, the honey for maple syrup or silan date syrup (I like the Just Date Syrup brand), and the butter for coconut oil or olive oil.
• You can substitute the honey for maple syrup for a paleo honey cake.
• For a flourless honey cake, substitute the oat flour for cassava flour.

Rosh Hashana Dessert Variations

Use the following tips for changing the flavor of these gluten free honey cakes:

• Gluten-free molasses cake - substitute the honey for molasses, and add ½ teaspoon of ginger, and ⅛ teaspoon each of cloves, allspice and nutmeg.
• Gluten free lemon honey cake - substitute the orange juice and zest with lemon juice and zest.
• Gluten free blood orange honey cake - substitute the orange zest and the juice in the glaze with blood orange juice and zest. This gives the glaze a rosy hue, like in this blood orange cake with polenta and rosemary.
• Gluten free olive oil and rosemary honey cake - this cakes adapts beautifully to a more herbaceous flavor profile. Substitute the butter for olive oil, and add 2 tablespoons of diced fresh rosemary to the batter. You can also decorate with fresh rosemary for a wintry, Christmas look.

When to serve gluten free honey cake?

Naturally, honey cakes are the perfect dessert to serve on Rosh Hashanah. But you can also serve this for tea anytime in the fall or winter - this cake simply lends itself to cooler temperatures!

See the web story on how to make the best honey cake here.

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