Honey Spice Bars (Parve)

No time to bake honey cake this year? Looking for a delicious holiday dessert that's full of good-for-you grains, nuts and seeds?

Here it is. Based on the French spice cake Pain D'Epices, this cake uses rye flour instead of wheat. But don't worry. It's light and airy - nothing like "health food" bakery goods.

These are very popular, so I usually make a double recipe.

Ingredients

½ cup rye flour

½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180C). Spray or line an 8” (20cm) square baking pan.

Whisk together the flour, oats, walnuts, seeds, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, mix together the eggs, sugar, honey, oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Mix in the dry ingredients and pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares.

16-20 servings