The sounds of hammers working around my neighborhood are getting more urgent as the last sukkot are being erected. The smells of etrogim permeate the air. The work in the kitchen is no less hectic for many women who are fortunate to have their own homes, but on Sukkot get to work five times as hard providing the possibility for a mitzvah of sitting in a sukkah. My friends with houses host 20 or more guests for any given meal.

Kol-ha-Kavod!

Some in Israel are trying to replicate ancient Jewish feast at this time. I would love to attend one of these. Hopefully, one day.

Meanwhile, my job as an apartment dweller is only to make a cake or two and show up at my host’s sukkah. So, I baked a couple. Since they are fruity, non-dairy, light and easy to make, I am posting the recipes here:

 Date – apple cake:

The original recipe for this comes from a book, I think , I mentioned once already, Light Jewish Holiday Desserts. It’s an old one, and I believe was the first or second cookbook I purchased in this country. It comes very handy, as the recipes are really lighter than the usual dessert ones.

Of, course, I have to adjust the recipe as I see fit.

So you take:

2 and 3/4 cups sifted white flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

3/4 cup chopped dates. You will have to chop them yourself, do not get pre-chopped ones.

3/4 cups walnuts

2, 5 cups sugar (I use less, about 1.5 )

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup applesauce

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 medium firm apples

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 325F (or more, if like mine your oven doesn’t hold to the temperature shown). Spray grease your favorite cake pan

In a bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir in the dates, chopped nuts and sugar

In a large bowl beat the eggs, whites, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.

Peel, core, and chop apples into small slices sprinkling them with lemon juice so that they don’t turn dark.

Mix both bowls ingredients together. The batter will be very thick. Then stir in the apples.

Spoon the mixture into the pan, and bake for about an hour or more depending on your oven until the wooden pick inserted in it comes out without moist crumbs.

Cool on wire rack and invert or slide out of the pan. I have also made some simple lemon syrup and poured it over after I took the cake out. You can sprinkle it with some additional nuts on top as well.

Enjoy and stay tuned for more!

The sweet smell of cake just baked

The hopes for a new sweet year

Please, Gd, let it come!