During my years of fasting, I learned many recipes from friends. This is a simple honey-flavored cake made without eggs or dairy, perfect for light eating or fasting days.
1 cup sugar
1 cup sparkling water
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons apricot jam (reduce sugar if using very sweet store-bought jam)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat your oven to 480°F (250°C). Grease a baking pan with melted butter or oil and lightly dust with flour. In a large bowl, mix sugar, sparkling water, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, apricot jam, and baking soda until smooth.
Pour the batter into the pan. Place the pan in the cold oven, then turn the oven on to 480°F. When the cake rises, reduce the temperature and bake for about 35 minutes until done.
While still warm, spread 2–3 tablespoons of apricot jam on top and let it cool.
For the glaze: In a small saucepan, boil ⅓ cup water with ⅓ cup sugar for a few minutes. Stir in 2–3 tablespoons cocoa powder and cook while stirring to avoid lumps. Pour this chocolate glaze over the cooled cake.
