Best Honey Cake Recipes

RUSSIAN HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Pour honey into a deep saucepan over medium heat. Boil until a shade darker and caramel-like in aroma, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and whisk in cold water.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat (such as Silpat®). Place a mixing bowl and a whisk in the refrigerator.
• Place a large metal bowl over the lowest heat setting on the stovetop. Add butter, sugar, 1/4 cup of the burnt honey, and regular wildflower honey. Let sit until butter melts, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Whisk butter mixture and let sit until very warm to the touch. Whisk in eggs. Keep mixture over low heat until it gets very warm again; whisk in baking soda mixture. Remove from heat. Sift in flour in 2 or 3 additions, stirring well after each, until batter is easily spreadable.
• Transfer about 1/2 cup batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread into an 8- or 9-inch circle using an offset spatula. Shake and tap the pan to knock out any air bubbles.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove liner from the pan and let cake layer continue cooling until firm enough to remove, 6 to 7 minutes. Invert cake onto a round of parchment paper.
• Repeat until you have a total of 8 cake layers, letting each cool on an individual parchment round. Trim edges using a pizza wheel to ensure they are the same size; save scraps for crumb mixture.
• Spread remaining batter onto the lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are dry, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into small pieces; toss with reserved cake scraps.
• Return to the oven and continue to bake until browned, 7 to 10 minutes more. Let cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a resealable bag and beat into fairly fine crumbs using a rolling pin. Set aside.
• Remove the bowl and whisk from the refrigerator. Pour in heavy cream. Whisk until soft peaks form. Add remaining burnt honey and sour cream; continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
• Place a cake layer on a parchment paper round on top of a pizza pan or serving plate. Spread a cup of frosting evenly on top, almost to the edge. Repeat with cake layers and frosting, pressing the layers in smooth-side down. Place last cake layer smooth-side up. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Cover with crumbs; clean any excess crumbs around base.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours, to overnight. Transfer to a cake stand using 2 spatulas. Cut and serve.

GRANDMA'S HONEY BUN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Combine cake mix, sour cream, eggs, and oil in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan.
• Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over batter in the pan. Carefully pour the remainder of the batter over the cinnamon-sugar layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Mix confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla together in a bowl. Poke holes in the hot cake with a fork and pour sugar mixture over the top of the cake. Let cake cool completely before serving, about 30 minutes.

HONEY CAKE III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, honey, oil, eggs and orange zest. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the orange juice, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

APPLE HONEY BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt pan or 2 loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs until light, then stir in the honey and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice; stir into the batter just until moistened. Fold in the apples and nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan or pans (see Cook's Note).
• Bake Bundt cake until a toothpick inserted into the crown comes out clean, about one hour. (Start checking for doneness after 50 minutes.) Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before inverting onto a plate and tapping out of the pan. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon, or drizzle with warm honey before serving.

HONEY BUN CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream. Stir by hand approximately 50 strokes, or until most large lumps are gone. Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter in the cake pan. Spoon the other half of the batter into the cake pan, covering the brown sugar and cinnamon. Twirl the cake with a butter knife or icing knife until it looks like a honey bun (or whatever design you want to make).
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Frost cake while it is still fairly hot. Serve warm.
• To Make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.

MAJESTIC AND MOIST NEW YEAR'S HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the pan(s). For tube and angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper. For gift honey cakes, I use "cake collars" (available from Sweet Celebrations) designed to fit a specific loaf pan. These give the cakes an appealing, professional look.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Make a well in the center and add the oil, honey, sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee, orange juice, and rye or whisky.
• Using a strong wire whisk or an electric mixer on slow speed, combine the ingredients well to make a thick batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s) and sprinkle the top of the cake(s) evenly with the almonds. Place the cake pan(s) on 2 baking sheets stacked together and bake until the cake springs back when you touch it gently in the center. For angel and tube cake pans, bake for 60 to 70 minutes; loaf cakes, 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet-style cakes, the baking time is 40 to 45 minutes. This is a liquidy batter and, depending on your oven, it may need extra time. Cake should spring back when gently pressed.
• Let the cake stand for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE WITH HONEY FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin-pie spice. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, butter, and pumpkin puree until combined. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, and mix gently until smooth.
• Turn batter into prepared pan, and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan, then turn out of pan, and cool completely, right side up, on a rack.
• Make Honey Frosting: In a medium bowl, whisk butter, cream cheese, and honey until smooth.
• Spread top of cooled cake with honey frosting. Cut cake into squares to serve.

RUSSIAN HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Trace circles around a 9-inch pie or cake pan onto 12 baking-sheet-size pieces of parchment paper. Set aside.
• Make a water bath: Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water, and set over medium heat.
• Place 3/4 cup of honey in a 2-quart saucepan, and set over high heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium. After about 3 minutes, the honey will begin to foam intensely. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, keep a close eye on the honey. Cook until it begins to smoke, then turn off the heat and carefully add water. Allow the honey to sputter until it stops bubbling. Whisk to combine, and pour into a heatproof measuring cup with a spout, then place in prepared water bath to keep honey liquid.
• Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water, and bring to a simmer. Combine 1/4 cup burned honey, 3/4 cup honey, sugar and butter in a large metal mixing bowl, and place over the pot of water.
• Crack eggs into a small bowl, and set aside. Stir together baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and cinnamon in a separate small bowl.
• When the butter has melted, whisk the honey mixture to combine. Use your finger to test the temperature of the mixture. When it's warm, add the eggs while whisking. When the mixture returns to the same temperature, add the cinnamon mixture, and continue whisking for another 30 seconds. The batter will begin to foam and emit a curious odor. Remove the bowl from the heat, and allow it to cool until it's warm.
• Place the flour in a fine-mesh sieve, and sift over the batter in three batches, whisking to incorporate the flour completely with each addition. The batter should be completely smooth. The batter will spread more easily when it's warm, so pour half into a small bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot, such as atop the preheating oven.
• Place a piece of parchment tracing-side-down on a baking sheet, and spoon in a heaping 1/3 cup of batter. Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the batter to the edges. It will seem like just barely enough batter; do your best to get the layer even and perfectly circular. Repeat with remaining layers until you're out of pans, and then continue with remaining batter and parchment sheets, laying batter circles out on a flat surface. You'll end up with 11 or 12.
• Bake as many layers at a time as possible, for 6 to 7 minutes, until the cake turns a deep caramel color and springs back at the touch. For the first round, set the timer for 4 minutes to rotate pans if needed to ensure even cooking. Check the cakes again at 6 minutes. Do not overbake!
• When each layer is done, slide the parchment off the pan to prevent overbaking. If reusing baking sheets while they are still hot, reduce cooking time to 5 to 6 minutes.
• When the cake layers are cool enough to handle, examine them. If any spread outside the traced circles as they baked, use a sharp knife or pair of scissors to trim them. Before the cakes cool entirely, pull each one carefully from the parchment, then place back on the parchment on a flat surface, and allow to cool completely.
• When all the layers are baked, reduce the oven temperature to 250, and allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes. Return the least attractive layer (or 2, if you got 12) to a baking sheet, and place in the oven to toast until deep reddish brown and dry, about 15 minutes. Allow it to cool, then use a food processor to grind into fine crumbs. Cover and set aside.
• Place 1/2 cup burned honey, dulce de leche and 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt or 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt into a medium bowl. Whisk by hand until combined, then slowly pour in 3/4 cup cream and mix until homogeneous. Chill until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
• Pour 4 cups heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer, and affix whisk attachment. Whip at medium speed to soft peaks, about 6 minutes, then add honey mixture and whip frosting to medium stiff peaks. If your mixer holds less than 5 quarts, make frosting in 2 batches and then combine in a large bowl, or use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
• Assemble the cake on a 10-inch cardboard circle or flat serving plate. Place a cake layer in the center of the cardboard, then spoon a heaping cup of frosting onto the center. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly, leaving a 1/4-inch ring unfrosted around the edge. Place the next layer atop the frosting, center it and continue as above. Don't be afraid to manhandle the cake to align the layers as you continue stacking. If necessary, make up for any doming in the center by spreading more frosting to the outer half of each layer than the inner half. After you place the 10th layer, spread another scant cup of frosting over the top. Use any leftover frosting to smooth out the sides of the cake, but don't fret if the edges of some cake layers poke through the frosting. Sprinkle the top and sides with cake crumbs.
• Chill overnight. Serve chilled. Cake can be made up to two days in advance. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

GREEK HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the walnuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into diamond shapes. Pour honey syrup over the cake.
• For the Honey Syrup: In a saucepan, combine honey, 1 cup sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

RUSTIC HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9-in. cast-iron skillet., In a large bowl, beat butter and honey until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yogurt and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture. Transfer batter to prepared skillet., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Serve with fruit, additional honey and, if desired, chopped pistachios., Freeze option: Securely wrap cooled cake in foil; freeze. To use, thaw at room temperature and top as directed.

APPLE-HONEY BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Brush a 12-cup nonstick bundt pan with vegetable oil. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, allspice and nutmeg in a large bowl.
• Combine 3/4 cup honey, the granulated sugar, vegetable oil and eggs in another large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the apples. Scrape the batter into the bundt pan. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup honey and the warm water in a small bowl. Remove the cake from the oven and brush with half of the honey mixture. Let the cake cool 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out the cake onto a rack. Brush the top of the cake with the remaining honey mixture and let cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, honey and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl until smooth. Add up to 1 tablespoon more water, if necessary, to thin out the glaze. Transfer the cake to a platter and drizzle with the glaze, letting it drip down the sides.

HONEY BUN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, combine dry cake mix, egg whites, sour cream and applesauce. Beat on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. , Pour half into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Cover with remaining batter; cut through with a knife to swirl. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., For glaze, combine confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; drizzle over warm cake.

PAULA DEEN'S CORNMEAL CAKE WITH HONEY GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle bottom and sides of pan with 2 T cornmeal;set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Pour into prepared pan, and bake 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting. Drizzle with Honey Glaze, if desired.

DEVONSHIRE HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 140C/ conventional 160C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round loosebottomed cake tin. Cut the butter into pieces and drop into a medium pan with the honey and sugar. Melt slowly over a low heat. When the mixture looks quite liquid, increase the heat under the pan and boil for about one minute. Leave to cool for 15-20 minutes, to prevent the eggs cooking when they are mixed in.
• Beat the eggs into the melted honey mixture using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour into a large bowl and pour in the egg and honey mixture, beating until you have a smooth, quite runny batter.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour until the cake is well-risen, golden brown and springs back when pressed. A skewer pushed into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
• Turn the cake out on a wire rack. Warm 2 tbsp honey in a small pan and brush over the top of the cake to give a sticky glaze, then leave to cool. Keeps for 4-5 days wrapped, in an airtight tin.

JEWISH HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
• Place the eggs, lemon juice, lemon rind, oil, honey and coffee in a bowl of an electric mixer.
• Mix on low speed until well blended.
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, sugar and cinnamon with a fork until mixed.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the eggs mixture, mixing for about 5 minutes or until well blended.
• Fold in the slivered almonds.
• Pour the batter into the tube pan.
• Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

SPICED HONEY DRIZZLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until creamy. Whisk in the honey, egg, milk, spices and a pinch of salt (don't worry if it curdles slightly, it will become a loose batter), then fold in the flour.
• Tip into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 mins until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze, melt the butter and honey in a small pan until smooth. Leave to cool until thickened, then drizzle over the top of the cooled cake. Leave to set before serving.

CINNAMON-APPLE HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 6-in. round baking pan with parchment; coat paper with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Arrange apple slices in a single layer over cinnamon., In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg. Add milk and vanilla; beat on low speed until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and remaining cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Spoon over apple. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert immediately onto a serving plate; drizzle with honey. Serve warm if desired.

JEWISH HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin. Warm the oil, golden syrup, honey and sugar in a small pan to dissolve the sugar. Stir to combine, then leave to cool. Add the tea and beaten eggs.
• Lightly whisk the flour, baking powder, spices and a pinch of salt in a large bowl to combine. Make a well in the dry ingredients and mix in the wet ingredients, using a whisk or wooden spoon, until combined and lump-free.
• Pour the batter into the lined tin and sprinkle with the almonds, if you like. Bake for 50-55 mins, until the cake springs back when gently pressed and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Don't open the oven for the first 45 mins of baking.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. Wrap well and keep for three to four days before eating, so the flavour can improve. Cut into nine squares to serve.

HONEY BUN CAKE FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Grease a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®) with 2 tablespoons butter. Add 1/4 cup sugar; shake pan gently until sides are evenly coated with sugar.
• Combine remaining 2/3 cup butter and 1 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Beat flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating batter well after each addition.
• Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
• Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture over the batter. Repeat once more. Pour remaining batter on top. Swirl batter with a butter knife.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes; invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

FRESH-FIG CAKE WITH HONEY CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch cake pan (or two 9-inch pans), and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, baking soda and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, whisk to combine sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Whisk in oil and buttermilk or yogurt to combine.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture just until combined. Fold in figs, jam and pecans.
• Scrape into prepared cake pan and bake until browned and springy to the touch, about 65 to 75 minutes (or 35 to 45 minutes for the 9-inch pans). If the top gets too dark before the cake is finished baking, cover it with foil. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, make the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and salt on low speed until smooth. Beat in honey and vanilla, then beat in confectioners' sugar.
• To assemble the cake, remove cooled cake from pan and peel off parchment paper. Slice cake in half horizontally, so you end up with 2 layers. (You don't need to do this for the 9-inch cakes.) Spread half the frosting between the layers, sandwiching it. Dollop remaining frosting in a thick layer on top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on the top of the cake, the sides, bare. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, top with sliced figs.