 | |
| Alternative names | Ugat Dvash, Honey Cake |
|---|---|
| Type | Cake |
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Israel,Jewish Diaspora |
| Region or state | Ashkenazi Communities ofEastern Europe |
| Created by | Ashkenazi People |
| Serving temperature | Room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Rye flour, honey, spices, baking powder |
Lekach is ahoney-sweetenedcake made byJews,[1] especially for theJewish holiday ofRosh Hashanah.[2] Known inHebrew asugat dvash (עוּגַת דְּבַשׁ,lit. 'honey cake'), it is mainly eaten in Israel byIsraeli Jews andJewish people all over the world who know it by its Yiddish name,lekach (לעקעך),phono-semantically matched in Hebrew as[ugat] lekakh ([עוּגַת] לֶקַח,lit. 'lesson cake') influenced by the Biblical association of teaching with honey. It is traditionally eaten at Rosh Hashanah in hopes of ensuring a sweet New Year.[3] It is also customary to ask for and receive a honey cake onErev Yom Kippur.[4]
Various sorts of cakes sweetened with honey have been known since ancient times, in Egypt, Rome, and the Middle East. Arabs brought these traditions to Sicily andMoorish Spain. In the 11th century, a type of strongly spiced thick cake made from breadcrumbs and honey, resemblingpanforte, became popular in Italy. Italian Jews brought some of these styles to Western and Central Europe. The earliest known record in a Jewish source of a cake calledlekach, from the Middle High Germanlecke, 'to lick',[5] was in the Medieval ages inSefer ha-Rokeach by Eleazar ben Judah ofWorms, Germany.[1]
Many Ashkenazi versions by the 13th century were influenced by or based onLebkuchen orHonigkuchen (honey cake) recipes found in Germany.[3] Such heavily spiced cakes, analogous to the Englishgingerbread, became popular all over medieval Europe in communities of all religions, especially during important feasts and holidays. Lekach has changed drastically over the centuries, such that its current forms bear little resemblance to its ancestors. There are now many variations, ranging from dark and heavy to lighter more delicate versions, though in general it is never frosted. Lekach was brought to the Land of Israel by Ashkenazi immigrants.[1]
A very traditional honey cake from theJewish community of Austria contains an equal weight of white rye flour and dark honey, strong Austrian coffee instead of water, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and golden raisins in the loaf, with slivered almonds on top of the loaf. It also has a fair number of eggs, vegetable oil (usually corn oil), salt, and baking powder.[citation needed]
Recipes vary widely. Lekach is usually a dense, loaf-shaped cake, but some versions are similar tosponge cake orpound cake, with the addition of honey and spices, sometimes with coffee or tea for coloring. Other versions are more likegingerbread,pain d'épices, orlebkuchen.[3]
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