Today I read a post that made me want to do something. Vivian Henoch wrote a post called "Let There Be Honey Cake." She gave credit to several cooks and recipe variations. I liked her version with several options of what to ad in. Her post was filled with many interesting facts about the upcoming Jewish holidays too.

So, I knew I was going to serve some left overs tonight, and since I would have time, I decided to try to make Vivian's cake. First of all, I was pleased that I had all the ingredients handy. Then I honestly don't know what came over me, I just decided to go ahead and make it. We don't eat until around 7:00 pm and so I had plenty of time to get it together. My husband walked through the door tonight to the very delicious smell of honey cake.

The smell of this cake is very wonderful, in fact it is the smell you might imagine of a fall gathering itself. Picture family all around, the hustle and bustle of a holiday, the crisp outside air, the fun that can be holiday preparation and the smell. One of my husband's favorite memories of Thanksgiving, is the smell of turkey roasting in the oven. Coming in from doing some chore outside, smelling that wonderful turkey smell wafting by as he approachs the house, that is one of his little bits of heaven. So tonight he was in heaven as he walked through the door, with the smell of honey cake in the outside air.

As I stood in my little kitchen tonight, I was getting everything together, and I suddenly looked up to my right and wondered why this was so easy. It was seriously as if I had done this before. I had a sense of doing some ritual, something that I had always done in the fall, something that I had done before. Later I remembered sitting and feeling like someone patted my head.  I even looked up.

I was confident this would turn out. Saying that sounds silly, especially if you realize that I am not that great of a cook and not really a baker. My sister who passed away last year at this time was the cook, the baker and probably the candlestick maker. She could do all that stuff and much more.

This is a rose from my garden.

Maybe she was there helping me make this. I have often wondered if my Austro - Hungarian roots on my father's side were really Jewish. My last name is the name of many Jewish families from Hungry. I have an interest in so much of Jewish history, culture and yes, cooking. I have a tendency to make things my grandmother would make and it turns out that much of that was also what Jewish people enjoy cooking and eating.

I decided that I would try this. I knew my husband would probably like it and my friend who is Jewish and also a customer might like to have some too. His wife makes a cheesecake to die for, so I decided I could make this and share it, since they always are so generous with their cheesecake.

The honey cake turned out great. I put in chopped walnuts. I also put some whiskey and coffee in it. I have never, ever, had a coffee cake or bundt cake mold perfectly out of a pan. Usually some little bit is stuck or something. This came out of the pan so well, it looked like the pan had not been used. As I stared at my perfection, I could not stand it, it tickled me. I had left some honey, a bit of coffee and sugar in a pan on the stove. I boiled this small mixture and added a bit of powedered sugar to it and drizzled some on the cake. OMG. This was the best bit of icing for such a wonderfully tasting, spicey, dark and can I say it, lovely cake.

My husband loved it! He asked me why I made it, I told him I read a post today, and that I had to try it. I never do that. He was smiling. I still plan on sharing with my friends, if there is any left....

 This is the Honey Cake without it's clothes on.

This is the Honey Cake dressed and ready for action.

The table runner was a gift from my children in June 2010 when they were in Germany. The napkin was what my daughter chose for some of her graduation party stuff in June 2010 too. The plates were a gift for our wedding 25 years ago, they are a pressed glass with trees on them.

Bake Vivian's cake, you can find her post with the recipe here:

 http://open.salon.com/blog/vivianh/2011/09/20/a_honey_of_a_cake_thank_you_marcy_goldman#comment_2636447

 Copyright 2011 by SheilaTGTG55