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Honey orange cake on a white plate with slices of citrus in the background.

Honey Almond Cake (Tishpishti) with Citrus Syrup

Beth Lee
This honey almond cake was originally included in my cookbook as Tishpishti, which means quickly cooked cake in Turkish. I like to describe it as a baklava cake because of the flavored syrup, nuts, and the way you serve it - sliced in the pan then slathered and dripping with citrus syrup.
5 from 8 votes
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Jewish Holiday Baking, Sephardic Cooking
Servings 24 squares
Calories 219 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the syrup

  • 1 cup water
  • ⅔ cup honey (or 1 cup sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 strips lemon rind
  • 3 strips orange rind
  • 1 - 2 sticks cinnamon

For the batter

  • 1.5 cups toasted walnuts coarsely chopped
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 5 large eggs separated, room temperature
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1.5 cups almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions
 

Syrup

  • In a medium saucepan, boil water, honey (or sugar), lemon juice, lemon rind, orange rind, and cinnamon stick over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to slightly thicken and reduce the liquid. Set the syrup aside to cool and continue to infuse while you make the cake.
    Citrus syrup in a pot on the stove.
  • Strain syrup once it's cool.
    Syrup in a measuring cup next to the strainer.

Cake Batter

  • Prep/Preheat: Chop the toasted walnuts coarsely. A food processor can help but is not necessary. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13- inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with a parchment liner, allowing an inch or two of overhang to help remove the cake from the pan, unless you plan to serve it directly from the pan.
    Nuts already chopped in a food processor top down view.
  • Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until mixture is pale yellow.
    Egg yolks and sugar in process of being mixed in stand mixer.
  • Add the olive oil, orange juice, and orange zest, and continue beating for another minute on medium-high speed.
    Olive oil ready to be mixed into the egg yolk mixture.
  • Add the walnuts, almond flour, and cinnamon and reduce the speed to low. Beat until just incorporated and transfer to a different bowl, and wash and dry the bowl of the stand mixer.
    Nuts and cinnamon ready to be mixed into the honey almond cake batter.
  • Using the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on high speed until they form stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes.
    Stiff peak egg whites in mixer bowl with whisk showing.
  • Gently fold a cup of the whipped egg whites into the batter to loosen it up, making it easier to fold in the rest of the whites.
    Mix in part of egg whites into cake batter.
  • Now fold in the rest of the whites until evenly incorporated.
    Cake batter with all the egg whites mixed in.

Bake and Serve

  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. The cake will take on color almost like a toasted piece of bread and a toothpick should come out clean.
    Top view of cut cake with the syrup nearby.
  • Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, then gently slice it into squares or diamonds. If you are not serving the cake directly from the pan, transfer it to a serving platter before pouring syrup. Pour ¾ to 1 cup syrup over the cake. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. You can store this cake in the refrigerator for up to a week.
    Close up of cut honey almond cake after the syrup has been poured over it.

Notes

  1. Remember to bring your eggs to room temperature for this recipe.
  2. Be sure to use superfine almond flour and not almond meal to make this honey almond cake.
  3. If you plan to serve from the pan you bake it in, no need for the parchment.
  4. It's fun to decorate the top with the cinnamon stick(s) you used in the syrup and the orange and lemon rinds.
  5. A dollop of whipped cream (regular or non-dairy) would be a lovely topper!

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 14mgPotassium: 59mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Keyword baklava, honey cake, Rosh Hashanah
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