A Sweet Second Act: What to Do with Leftover Charoset? Bake It, Of Course.
A Passover-friendly spice loaf kissed with leftover charoset
Charoset is the mortar that binds our Seder stories together—rich with wine, fruit, nuts, and nostalgia. But what happens when the Seder ends and you’re left with an extra bowl (or three) of this sticky, symbolic spread?
You bake.
This Masala Chai Charoset Cake was born out of curiosity and over-preparation (a Passover tradition in itself). It’s a spiced loaf kissed with leftover charoset—any style you’ve got—and topped with a dreamy date syrup drizzle. It leans into warmth, memory, and gentle reinvention. Think of it as what would happen if your favorite chai-spiced tea cake and the Seder plate had a beautiful baby.
Yesterday, we traveled the Jewish world in five sticky minutes flat—from Aleppo to Ahmedabad, from Ashkenaz to Bukhara—mapping the many delicious iterations of charoset, that sweet, spiced mortar of memory. (If you missed it, read it here). Today, we stay closer to home—but no less inventive.
This recipe is what I used to do at Numnum in Basel when cooking for hundreds over Passover. When faced with literal vats of leftover charoset, I took one look and thought: this is practically strudel filling. The result? A gorgeous cake that respects tradition but dares to riff.
Serve it with Amanda Rubin’s gleaming Middle Eastern fruit salad and a spoonful of cashew cream. It’s the perfect post-Seder pairing.
Because if there’s one thing we learned from our global charoset journey, it’s this: there’s no one right recipe—but plenty of right ways to remember.
🍰 Masala Chai Charoset Cake
A Passover-friendly spice loaf kissed with leftover charoset
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 8–10
🧁 Ingredients
For the Spiced Sugar Swirl
½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp finely ground black pepper
For the Cake
2 cups (250g) matzah meal (fine, cake-style preferred)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar
⅓ cup (80ml) neutral oil (sunflower or grapeseed)
1 large egg
⅓ cup (80g) full-fat Greek yogurt
⅔ cup (160ml) whole milk
2 masala chai tea bags
1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½–¾ cup leftover charoset (any style—Halek, Ashkenazi, Persian, etc.)
For the Silan (Date Syrup) Glaze
6 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1½ tbsp silan (date syrup)
½–1 tbsp warm water (as needed for consistency)
Mix until smooth and pourable.
🧳 Method
1. Infuse the Milk
Heat milk until steaming (not boiling). Add chai tea bags, steep for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze and cool.
2. Make the Swirl
Combine dark brown sugar and all the swirl spices. Reserve 2 tbsp for topping.
3. Prep the Tin
Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line a 9x5in (23x13cm) loaf pan with parchment and lightly grease.
4. Mix the Batter
In a large bowl, whisk matzah meal, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk oil, light brown sugar, and egg. Stir in yogurt, vanilla, and cooled chai milk. Fold in dry mixture, then gently fold in the charoset.
5. Layer and Swirl
Pour half the batter into the pan. Sprinkle with spice swirl (minus reserved 2 tbsp). Add remaining batter, top with reserved swirl, and lightly marble with a skewer.
6. Bake
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
7. Glaze
Once cool, drizzle generously with the silan glaze. Let set before slicing.
🍇 Amanda Rubin’s Middle Eastern Fruit Salad
Elegant, bright, and the perfect contrast to a spiced cake
Ingredients
Blood oranges, peeled and sliced
Pink grapefruit, segmented
Yellow peaches or nectarines, sliced
Fuyu persimmons (firm-ripe), sliced
Black figs, halved
Red grapes, halved
Fresh mint leaves
🌰 Cashew Cream (for serving with the fruit)
½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
¼ cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup or silan
Pinch of salt
Blend until smooth and creamy. Chill before serving alongside the fruit salad.
🍽️ Serving Suggestion
One thick slice of Masala Chai Charoset Cake next to a jewel-toned bowl of Amanda Rubin’s fruit salad, with a dollop of cashew cream. Tea optional. Compliments guaranteed.
💬 Final Note
This pairing is about duality: warm and cold, sticky and fresh, memory and invention.
Yesterday we tasted history. Today, we bake it.
Let me know if you want a gluten-free version, or if you’ve got a secret charoset that needs its moment in the sun.
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📥 Beyond Babylon is a book-in-progress tracing Jewish culinary migration from Baghdad to Bombay and beyond. If this post made you hungry, curious, or sentimental—subscribe, share, or drop a line. You bring the stories. I’ll bring dessert.