I’m sure you’ve seen the rainbow dot cakes that went viral a few weeks ago. I never got around to making them in my own kitchen, so I figured, why not give them a Rosh Hashanah spin?

Think honey cake, honey buttercream, and a festive layer of golden sprinkles. I can definitely get behind that!

What I love most about these adorable little cakes is that they’re not just pretty, they’re practical, too. You can assemble them and store them in the fridge for a couple of days, and they transport beautifully. They feel festive and special enough to deserve a spot on your Rosh Hashanah table, without being overly complicated.

A sweet little cake for a sweet new year. Enjoy!

Honey Sheet Cake 

Ingredients:

3 and 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup oil

1 cup honey

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons instant coffee, dissolved in 1 cup hot water, cooled

1/2 cup apple juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Line a full sized baking sheet with oil and then a piece of parchment paper on top. 

3. Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix to combine.

4. Pour in the oil, honey, eggs, cooled coffee and apple juice. 

5. Mix well and pour the batter onto the prepared sheet pan.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

7. Cool completely and freeze before pressing the jars into the cake for best results.

Honey Buttercream

Ingredients:

2 sticks margarine or butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the margarine or butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl half way through. It'll be pale and fluffy.

2. Mix in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Mix in cinnamon until combined.

3. Add the honey and vanilla, mixing on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until well combined and fluffy.

4. Use immediately in a piping bag or transfer the frosting to an airtight container and store in the fridge.

What You'll Need:

-Zip-top bag or piping bag

-Mini glass jars

-Gold Sprinkles

-Spatula or knife

How to Assemble:

1-Bake the honey cake in a sheet pan, cool completely and freeze.

2-Use your jar as a cutter to cut perfectly sized rounds of cake. Place a cake round in the bottom of each jar.

3-Add a layer of honey buttercream.

4-Repeat with another layer of cake and buttercream.

5-Use a spatula or knife to smooth the buttercream evenly across the top of the jar.

6-Turn upside-down and dip into a plate of gold sprinkles. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Photography by Sara Goldstein