Pomegranates hold deep symbolic resonance in Jewish tradition. The ruby fruit’s seeds evoke abundance and fertility, and they are also said to number the 613 mitzvot (commandments) outlined in the Torah. They are also, of course, stunningly beautiful and delicious. This cake is not a traditional Jewish recipe, but it offers a fitting celebration of pomegranate with a triple dose of the fruit: pomegranate juice, syrupy pomegranate molasses, and a juicy pop of pomegranate seeds on top. Serve it for Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, or any autumn or early winter Shabbat dinner, when pomegranates are in peak season.
Method:
- Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round springform pan or cake pan.
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, pomegranate molasses, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Stir half of the flour mixture into the oil mixture, followed by the pomegranate juice, and then the remaining flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then gently unmold the cake and place it directly on the rack to cool completely.
- When the cake is fully cooled, make the glaze: Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and pomegranate juice in a medium bowl until a thick but pourable glaze forms. If the glaze is too thick, whisk in more pomegranate juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Pour and spread the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle the top of the cake with pomegranate seeds and let the cake sit until the glaze sets, about 20 minutes, before serving. Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Excerpted from The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets. Copyright © 2026 by Leah Koenig. Used with permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
Instagram: @leah.koenig
