Dubai: Retailers in UAE are seeing an increase in demand for sweets during Ramadan, but there’s one particular dessert that’s proven to be the best seller at this time of year.
Operators of supermarkets told Gulf News that consumption of honey cake, a spongy layered dessert that’s also popular in Russia, spikes during Ramadan that they’re selling thousands of it every day throughout the holy month.
Locally-owned Spinneys Dubai has confirmed that it is increasing production of its honey cake by almost 250 per cent due to a surge in orders. The grocery manages to sell 3,000 honey cakes on a daily basis during Ramadan.
The company produces its own supply of honey cake at a facility in Dubai. The sweet treat is concocted using natural ingredients, including honey, which is seen as auspicious for special occasions.
It’s made of thin rounds of cake, layered with fresh cream and sprinkled with crumbs of honey cake mix. It is said to be popular at the iftar table and during Eid celebrations.
“Honey is a traditional ingredient for this part of the world and is seen as auspicious for such special occasions. The honey cake is ideal for sharing which makes it perfect for Ramadan, you can also add your own decoration so it is easily personalized without the pressure of making the cake yourself,” said Glen Thompson, marketing manager at Spinneys Dubai.
At Al Maya supermarkets, grocery shoppers are also stocking up on honey cakes for iftar. “[We] have seen an increase in consumption of honey cake during Ramadan. It goes up by 29 to 30 per cent,” Kamal Vachani, director of Al Maya Group, told Gulf News.
And apparently, it's not just the Emiratis or those who celebrate iftar who are crazy over the cake. Elena, an expatriate from the Philippines, swears by its taste and she only discovered it after moving to Dubai. "It's really good and you can get it from the grocery store, such as Carrefour, Spinneys," she said.
According to Spinneys, honey cakes can be quickly put together that their baking team can complete a full cake in just three minutes.
“Not only is the honey cake a best seller, it also produces zero waste. Each cake is precisely made to ensure consistency and quality and any excess sponge is milled into crumbs and used to dress the cakes,” the company said.
