This delicious Honey Cake Recipe is a tasty alternative to a standard coffee cake. With hints of orange and the rich flavor of honey, every bite is a feast for your tastebuds. Like a coffee cake, Honey Cake is not overly sweet, but it is very moist and flavorful. It’s simple to make and can be served for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Pair it with a cup of coffee, tea, or a scoop of heavy whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.
Are you looking for more baking recipes? Try our yummy Carrot Cake Banana Bread or our Strawberry Pound Cake.
There is nothing I love more than a slow morning with a warm cup of tea and a slice of honey cake, especially if I’m sitting outside on my patio. This amazing Honey Cake recipe makes me feel old-fashioned in the best possible way. A slice of honey cake with a cup of tea makes me want to slow down and savor life. It’s a nice escape from the business of life. Try a slice, and you’ll see what I mean!
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Cuisinart 9-inch Round Cake Pan, Nonstick Bakeware, Silver
Cooling Rack – Set of 2 Stainless Steel
12-Inch Porcelain Round Cake Stand, Cake Plate, Dessert Stand
What are Honey Cakes Made Of?
Honey Cake is simple to make and only requires a handful of simple ingredients, but it sure packs a big flavor punch! Here’s what you’ll need:
Honey – Choose good-quality honey for the best flavor. Any type of honey will do, but I like Orange Blossom Honey the best for this recipe. Clover honey is the easiest to find and will work just fine.
Orange Juice – Fresh squeezed is great, but any pulp-free orange juice will work. The orange flavors pair deliciously with the honey and round out the flavors in the cake.
Orange Zest – For just a bit more flavor!
Eggs – In this recipe, you’ll separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat them separately for added height and tenderness in the finished cake.
Vegetable Oil – This keeps the cake moist and tender. You can use melted butter, but it does change the structure of the cake a bit.
Flour – Use All-Purpose Flour for this cake (I used unbleached).
Baking Power and Baking Soda – Use both leavening agents to maximize the flavor and the rise.
Salt – To enhance the other flavors in the cake.
Sugar – Plain granulated sugar works best. You don’t need much because the honey provides most of the flavor and sweetness, but it is essential for the structure of the cake.
Sliced Almonds – These are optional, but they add a satisfying crunch, and the flavors pair well with honey and orange. I have a kid at home who doesn’t like almonds, so instead of baking them on top of the cake, I just add them when I serve the cake.
Powdered Sugar – This is optional, but it’s a pretty topping when serving.
How to Make Honey Cake
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment and grease the pan and parchment with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, orange juice, oil, egg yolks, and orange zest. Likewise, In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then set aside.
Add the flour mixture to the honey mixture and stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix. Gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan once or twice on the countertop to release any big air bubbles in the cake. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake will be a deep golden color (because of the honey), but it is not burnt and will still be very moist. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then gently turn the cake out and continue cooling on a wire rack.
Top the cake with slivered almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve each slice with an additional drizzle of honey. It’s also good with a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Pro Tips!
How Long will Honey Cake last?
You can keep Honey Cake for up to 1 week, but it must be in an air-tight container to stay fresh. Personally, I like to refrigerate cakes and then bring them to room temperature before serving; they tend to stay fresher longer.
Can you Freeze Honey Cake?
Yes, you can. If you want to freeze the entire cake, then let it cool to room temperature. Wrap well in plastic wrap and then foil. The same can be applied to leftovers. The cake will freeze well for 3 months.
Where did Honey Cake originate from?
Honey cake can go back as far as Egypt, but in more modern times, it is seen to be Russian, Middle Eastern, or Jewish traditions. Most of the Russian honey cakes have many, many layers so ours is more based on a Jewish recipe.
Would you like more single-layer cakes?
Single-layer cakes are easy to make and use fewer ingredients for a small family or fit perfectly for a small bite. Plus, they are easier to make than a larger-tiered cake.
Honey Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey slightly warmed
- 2/3 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs separated, saving the whites
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds optional
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a round 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Grease the pan and parchment with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, orange juice, oil, egg yolks, and orange zest.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Add the dry ingredients slowly to the honey/egg mixture and mix until just combined, being careful to not over-mix. Gently fold in the egg whites.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 min or until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then gently turn out the cake and continue cooling on a wire rack.
- Serve with sliced almonds, powdered sugar, and additional drizzles of honey on each slice. You can also serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Comments & Reviews
Crystal Renee says
I like my coffee with vanilla creamer in the morning. Either iced or hot depending on the season!
Fareen says
With waking up with a baby every couple hours at night, coffee has been my friend!
Maggie K. says
I have coffee in the morning with breakfast and another in the afternoon. I like it with milk and sugar.
SueSueper says
I like my coffe when I wake up, then again around 10:30am.
I put splenda and cream in my coffee.
ceecee says
I live my coffee with cream. Must have it when I wake up!
Brenda Haines says
I like my coffee with a splash of evaporated milk
Jolene says
I need a coffee first thing in the morning to start my day off right! The cake looks delishious.
Brenda Haines says
I like my coffee with a splash of evaporated milk
Kristi Renout says
I like my coffee in the morning, and the early afternoon with lots of milk.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
That cake sounds like it should start a new life at my house. We don’t have Affresh down here yet. We’re always 2-3 years behind.
Kim Beaulieu says
Hubs is the coffee fanatic in our household. The man consumes copious amounts of it. He likes his with milk and sugar (old school, double hit of each) and as many times a day as humanly possible.
Great cake recipe, I love honey cake. It’s so delicious. Reminds me of my mom and gramma for some reason. They love the stuff.
Laureen King says
coffee and cake, it doesn’t get much better than that!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
That cake sounds like it should start a new life at my house. We don’t have Affresh down here yet. We’re always 2-3 years behind.
Leigh says
I love coffee all the time; no matter the time of day, it’s coffee time! And this cake looks like it would an excellent accompaniment for coffee!!!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
I LOOOOOVE the new look of your site! Plus this honey cake look fabulous!! Plus an AMAZING giveaway! Awesome post!
Serena says
I love my coffee in the morning with a little bit of cream and sugar or on datenight with dessert!
Nan Levesque says
Love My Coffee In The Morning. I savour every sip. Who would not love it more with this beautiful coffee cake!
MARIE AITKEN says
Wow this cake looks awesome. I love cake with my coffee. I love coffee with just about anything. I’ll definitely give this a try sometime soon.
Cheryl Voelk says
Coffee and cake! What’s not to like 🙂
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
I LOOOOOVE the new look of your site! Plus this honey cake look fabulous!! Plus an AMAZING giveaway! Awesome post!