Oshrat and Rinat’s Halva Coffee Cake Recipe is a delicious tahini infused sponge cake with crunchy sugared walnut layers running through it. This cake is surprisingly simple to make, and would be delicious served with strong coffee or a pot of hot tea. Halva is a popular sweet treat throughout the Middle East. There are versions based on flour or semolina, but the flavor profile of this cake echoes halva made from crushed sesame seed paste (tahini) mixed with sugar syrup or honey.
Community Recipes is a recurring feature where we share your recipes on the Jewish Food Hero blog. If you want to share a recipe in this series, pitch us your idea here. This series is all about sharing Kosher recipes. We are creating a positive community around food and sharing.
Tell us about yourselves, Oshrat and Rinat!
We are two Sephardic sisters who grew up in New Jersey. We LOVE recreating traditional recipes with a twist! Our Syrian heritage inspires our palettes to bring out the brightest and freshest ingredients into our dishes.
What’s your passion?
We love all things recipe development. When we find an ingredient we love, we figure out ways to incorporate it into our dishes.
Follow us on Instagram to @Spicebetweenus
Tell us about your connection with Judaism. How it is expressed in your life in general, and in your kitchen?
We were brought up speaking Hebrew at home and knowing that Judaism is at the heart of our daily lives. What we eat, how we act, what we believe in are all tied to our faith.
What is the best thing you learned from another person about food and hospitality?
We believe that the most potent ingredient anyone can taste is the heart in your food. We love to host!
What three food items could you not live without?
Tahini, salt, and fresh vegetables.
What is your best, most simple and do-able food tip?
When frying anything, light a candle close by and there will be no odor!
Can you recommend any favorite cookbooks for our inspiration?
Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen: A Cookbook
This Israeli cookbook offers 125 recipes inspired by the flavors of the Shuk (market). Recipes include:
- Freekeh and Roasted Grape Salad
- Crudo with Cherries and Squeezed Tomatoes
- Schug Marinated Lamb Chops
- Tahini Caramel Tart
Aromas of Alleppo: A Syrian cookbook which gathers recipes from the Aleppian Jewish community, and places them in historical and cultural context. To give you an idea of the kind of recipes encompassed here:
- Bazargan―Tangy Tamarind Bulgur Salad
- Shurbat Addes―Hearty Red Lentil Soup with Garlic and Coriander
- Kibbeh―Stuffed Syrian Meatballs with Ground Rice
- Samak b’Batata―Baked Middle Eastern Whole Fish with Potatoes
- Sambousak―Buttery Cheese-Filled Sesame Pastries
- Eras bi’Ajweh―Date-Filled Crescents
- Chai Na’na―Refreshing Mint Tea
What do we need to know about your Halva Coffee Cake Recipe?
It combines everything we love – good quality ingredients, little hassle, and a hint of sweetness.
Print
Oshrat and Rinat’s Halva Coffee Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup oil or 1 cup softened butter (if dairy)
5 tbsp tahini paste
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp coconut milk or sour cream (if dairy)
1.5 tbsp baking powder
1 ¾ cup flour
For the Walnut mixture:
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp kosher salt 1
tsp nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp white sugar
Instructions
In a big bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar together for 1 minute.
Add the butter/oil and mix for another minute.
Next, add the tahini paste, vanilla and coconut milk/sour cream. Mix to combine.
Add the flour and baking powder.
Make the walnut mixture in a separate bowl: mix the brown sugar with the walnuts/pecans, cinnamon, kosher salt, nutmeg and white sugar.
In a greased cake pan, layer half of the batter then sprinkle half the walnut mixture. Repeat with the remaining batter and mixture.
Bake at 350 for 40 mins.
Keywords: halva, halva cake, tahini
More Community Recipes
Jewish Food Hero’s Community Recipes feature is a space for us all to share our favorites and hear from a variety of people in our community. This is an easy and fun way to get new meal ideas and learn about each other. Since you’ve read Oshrat and Rinat’s recipe, do you feel inspired to share your Kosher recipe? Don’t forget to get in touch to share your recipe too!
Check out these other recipes from our community:
Rachel’s Tomato Braised Lamb
