Tu B’Shevat Carob Sheet Cake with Carob Icing

I received a call this afternoon from Jessica asking me to post this recipe on my blog as soon as possible because a number of people she knows want to access it for the upcoming Jewish holiday, including the catering staff of the Pearlstone Center where she works. The relatively minor Jewish holiday, Tu B’Shevat, is an abbreviated form of Hamishah-Asar B’Shevat, the fifteenth day of the Hebrew lunar calendar month of Shevat. The holiday is also known as Rosh Hashanah Le’Ilanot, the New Year of the Trees. The date coincides with the time of year when the sap begins to flow in the trees in Israel, and our celebration is an affirmation of our pledge to share in the rebuilding of the land and make the desert bloom. A seder, or festive meal, is conducted and is a delightful way to celebrate the importance of trees and the bounty of nature that God has provided, while at the same time considering how we can conserve and respect that gift. This year, the holiday falls on February 9.

The seder proceeds with a collection of readings and songs from the Bible, the Talmud and various rabbinical and poetic sources which are particularly appropriate for the occasion. Interspersed with these readings are symbolic tastings of fruits, nuts, and wines which are served in groups according to their symbolism. In Israel, the holiday is always marked by the planting of trees. Schoolchildren are taken on field trips especially for the purpose of planting trees, and great importance is placed on this simple act. Outside of Israel, the concern of Jews for the land is expressed through the purchase of tree certificates from the Jewish National Fund. A certificate is purchased which indicates that a tree has been planted in memory of or in honor of someone. In addition to the planting of trees, these monies are used to maintain existing forest.

Carob pods come from an evergreen tree common to the Mediterranean area, but also found elsewhere. These pods, shown in the photo above, are sweet and leathery with a taste similar to chocolate. The few hard black seeds inside the pod must be avoided carefully to preclude breaking a tooth, but with patience, they can be placed in a pot indoors to grow into a beautiful tree. I began growing the one in the photo from seed twenty-five years ago from a pod that I ate at a Tu B’Shevat seder. It is said that it takes 70 years for the tree to mature enough to produce fruit, so planting a carob tree is really an act of faith in the future of the next generation.

Carob can be purchased in various convenient forms. The powder can be used interchangeably with cocoa powder and works especially well for those allergic to chocolate, such as my son-in-law. You can also purchase chocolate chips made with carob instead of cocoa.

This recipe comes from my book, Bubbie’s Kitchen, a curriculum for teaching hands-on Jewish cooking to groups, which was published 20 years ago.

Tu B’Shevat Carob Sheet Cake with Carob Icing

Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup water
• 4 heaping Tbsp. carob powder
• 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• non-stick cooking spray

Icing

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 6 Tbsp. milk
• 4 Tbsp. carob powder (level)
• 1 lb. confectioner’s sugar (1 box)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• trail mix (dried fruit and nut mix)

Cake
Combine butter, water and carob powder in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to boiling on medium to high heat, stirring occasionally.

Spray an 11-inch by 15-inch bakng pan with non-stick spray.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Measure flour, sugar, and salt into mixing bowl and beat on lowest setting until they are mixed well. Pour in the hot carob mixture and beat well. (Saucepan need not be washed.)

Add sour cream, baking soda, and eggs to mixture and mix until blended.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 22 minutes.

Icing
Meanwhile, combine butter, milk and carob powder in the same 2-quart saucepan and heat to boiling on medium to high heat, stirring until mixture bubbles.

Empty box of confectioner’s sugar into clean mixing bowl and pour hot carob mixture over. Add vanilla. Beat on medium speed until icing is smooth.

Pour icing over hot cake and smooth out evenly with a spatula. Decorate the top with a pattern made from dried fruits and nuts selected from the trail mix. Cool for a few minutes and refrigerate.

Chilling gives the frosting a fudge-like consistency. Can be cut into approximately 40 2-inch squares (5 x 8). This cake can be cut up into squares and then frozen in trays to use at a later time. Be sure to unwrap the top before defrosting so that the icing doesn’t stick to the wrapper.

This cake can be made pareve by substituting margarine for the butter and coconut milk for the sour cream in the cake and milk in the icing. When opening the can of coconut milk, use the thicker part that rises to the top for the cake and the thinner part at the bottom for the icing.