Celebrate Passover with a delightful twist by indulging in this easy-to-make Maple Passover Cake. Bursting with rich flavors and traditional ingredients, this moist and tender cake is a delightful addition to any Seder table. Combining the warmth of maple syrup with the comforting notes of almond meal and matzo, this cake offers a sweet and satisfying treat that will surely become a family favorite.
Passover cakes
I like to scroll through Pinterest for inspiration and recently, I found this pin. If you don’t read Hebrew, it features a formula to change any cake recipe to fit Passover. Naturally, I was really excited and I immediately tried it out of course.
If you aren’t familiar with Passover habits, Jews avoid bread and any pastry that has risen to symbolize the Jews escaping Egypt without any time to wait for the dough to rise when making bread for their way back to Israel. Therefore, we avoid regular flour during Passover and need to bake with matzo meal, which is a flour made from matzo - an unleavened flatbread that we eat during Passover.
Passover cake formula
Not all cakes work with just matzo meal and that’s why making Passover desserts brings out the creativity in a baker. With the formula I found, any cake will work and will taste so good!
The formula is as follows: for each cup of flour in a cake recipe replace with:
⅓ cup matzo meal
⅓ cup potato starch
⅓ almond meal
That is it! It really is that simple, the potato starch and almond meal helps the matzo meal become less dense and the cake tastes delicious!
With this formula you can transform ANY cake to fit Passover, for example my carrot cake recipe will work with this trick.
The recipe for this easy maple Passover cake is parve (non-dairy) and can fit even more occasions. If you need the cake to be vegan, switch the eggs to ½ cup of applesauce.
Tips to ensure your Maple Passover Cake turns out perfectly:
Ingredient Preparation
Measure out all your ingredients before you start mixing to ensure a smooth baking process.
Mixing
When combining the dry ingredients with the wet ones, make sure to mix gently until just combined. Overmixing can result in a dense cake.
Loaf Tin Preparation
Grease your loaf tin generously to prevent the cake from sticking. You can also line the tin with parchment paper for easy removal.
Baking Time
Keep an eye on the cake as it bakes. Oven temperatures may vary, so start checking for doneness around the 25-minute mark. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready.
Cooling
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps prevent the cake from crumbling or breaking apart.
Powdered Sugar
Don't forget to sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the cooled cake for an extra touch of sweetness and a beautiful presentation.
Storage
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.
FAQS
Almond meal adds a unique flavor and texture to the cake, but if you have allergies or prefer a different option, you can try using another nut flour such as hazelnut or pecan meal. Alternatively, you can use additional matzo meal or potato starch, though this may alter the texture slightly.
Maple syrup contributes to the distinctive flavor of this cake, but if you don't have it on hand, you can substitute with honey or agave syrup. Keep in mind that this will slightly alter the taste of the cake.
Yes, you can bake the cake ahead of time. Simply allow it to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for longer storage. If refrigerated, bring the cake to room temperature before serving.
Yes, you can freeze the cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Yes, you can customize the cake by adding chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, or dried fruits, such as raisins or chopped apricots. Fold them into the batter before pouring it into the loaf tin.
If you don't have a loaf tin, you can use a round or square cake pan instead. Adjust the baking time as needed, as the cake may cook more quickly in a different type of pan.
Other recipes to try:
More Passover recipes on my blog:
Passover Apple Crumble (Parve)
Matzo Granola
Charoset
GF Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vegetable Kugel
Homemade Marzipan
Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Charoset Cake
Bake this maple Passover cake today!
Whether you're celebrating with family or enjoying a quiet moment of reflection, baking this cake offers a wonderful opportunity to infuse your home with warmth and sweetness. So, why wait? Gather your ingredients, preheat the oven, and embark on a baking journey that will not only satisfy your taste buds but also fill your heart with joy.
Maple Passover Cake
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup matzo meal
- ⅓ cup potato starch
- ⅓ cup almond meal
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder kosher for Passover
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/paste
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup any vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
For garnish
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
- Set the oven to 180°C / 350°F with the fan.
- In a bowl, mix well all cake ingredients.
- Grease a loaf tin.
- Pour the cake batter into the tin.
- Bake the cake for 30 minutes and cool at room temperature.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the cake.
- Have a piece and happy Passover!
Stacy says
Is 1 tablespoon of baking powder correct?
Renana says
Yes, in Israel they come in these little bags that are equals 1 tbsp
Deb says
is this a standard loaf pan? from the pictures it looks like it may be a smaller pan being used
Renana says
Its a standard loaf pan in Israel, it's more narrow and long than standard ones in other countries. The size is 31×10 cm
Faith says
Can cake meal be substituted for almond meal? I have kids with nut allergies.
Renana says
Yes, Either use cake meal or hazelnut meal. If there are no other nut allergies, hazelnut meal can be used in a 1:1 ratio as a substitute for almond meal. It will give a slightly different flavor but works well in most recipes. I haven't personally tried changing the almond meal in this particular recipe, but these substitutions should work well.
Nicola says
This recipe came out superb. The texture of the cake was far better than previous Passover cakes I have made. The taste was good.
I dont use baking powder at Passover so I separated the egg whites and whisked them till peaky and then added it to the mix which helped with the rise/aeration of the cake crumb.
Will be bookmarking this to make again next year.
Renana says
Happy to know you like it! 🙂 thanks for sharing!
MEG PETERSEN says
Almond allergy - substitution for Almond meal?
Renana says
Either use more matzo meal or hazelnut meal. If there are no other nut allergies, hazelnut meal can be used in a 1:1 ratio as a substitute for almond meal. It will give a slightly different flavor but works well in most recipes. I haven't personally tried changing the almond meal in this particular recipe, but these substitutions should work well.
Margie says
Is the 2 tbsp of powdered sugar to be mixed into the batter or is that just what is sprinkled on top?
Renana says
Yes, just sprinkled, not for the cake batter.