Fasting Walnut and Honey Cake

Preparation

1. Preheating the Oven and Preparing the Tin

Preheat the oven to 175°C (top and bottom heat) or 160°C with convection. Line a round tin (22–24 cm diameter) or rectangular tin (25×15 cm) with baking parchment, or grease well with oil and dust with flour.

2. Mixing the Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, beat together the oil and honey with a whisk or fork until combined into a uniform mixture. Add the apple juice and finely grated lemon zest. Stir well — the mixture will not be completely smooth, but that is fine.

3. Preparing the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine the sifted flour, ground walnuts, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves and vanilla sugar. Mix the dry ingredients well so the baking soda is evenly distributed — this is key to the cake rising evenly.

4. Combining the Batter

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. Mix only until everything is just combined and no dry flour remains. Do not over-mix — over-mixing develops gluten and the cake can turn rubbery. The batter is thick and spreadable, like porridge.

5. Baking

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Place immediately in the preheated oven — the baking soda reacts as soon as it contacts the juice, so do not delay. Bake for 38–42 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the edges have pulled slightly away from the sides of the tin.

6. Cooling and Serving

Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely before cutting. Cutting while still warm will cause it to crumble. Dust with icing sugar just before serving, or decorate with walnut halves.

Tips

Juice substitutions: instead of apple juice you can use orange juice, plum juice or even a strong rosehip tea — each gives the cake a different character. Plum juice highlights the cinnamon and clove aromas.

Honey-free version: for a honey-free vegan fast, replace the honey with the same quantity of agave or maple syrup, or use refined sugar (reduce to 120 g as sugar is sweeter than honey).

Storage: the cake stays moist for 3–4 days at room temperature kept in an airtight container or wrapped in foil. Honey is a natural preservative and prevents drying.

Slava celebration: this cake works beautifully as a fasting Slava alternative for families whose patron saint’s day falls during a fasting period. Before baking, arrange walnut halves in the shape of a cross on the surface for a festive Slava look.