Easy Honey Cake {From Scratch}

Quick and easy honey cake recipe, homemade with simple ingredients, from scratch. Rich, soft, moist and not too sweet. Uses honey instead of sugar. Topped off with a chocolate honey glaze drizzle.

This rustic, old fashioned cake is not be confused with a honey bun cake recipe, which is totally different and typically a doctored cake mix recipe. However, this is very delicious and I like it just as much as my Best Vanilla Cake Recipe (From Scratch), which is great topped with my Easy Honey Frosting (No Powdered Sugar).

There are so many versions of this no sugar cake. I have come across Hawaiian, Indian, Jewish Rosh Hashanah and Greek recipes. The most popular seem to be Fijian, which is a honey spiced cake and topped off with sliced almonds. The other popular one is Russian version, which is composed of multiple layers (8-10 layers) of spiced sponge cakes and whipped sour cream filling/frosting.

Jump to:

• Key ingredients
• Variations
• How to make honey cake?
• Recipe FAQs
• Storage
• More easy cakes
• Recipe

Key ingredients

• Butter- Use unsalted at room temperature.
• Honey- Fresh local honey is best.
• Eggs- Be sure they are at room temperature for best mixing.
• Yogurt- I like to use full fat or Greek.
• Vanilla extract- Pairs well and gives a nice warm flavor.
• Flour- All-purpose works great for this recipe.
• Baking Powder- This is used as a rising agent.
• Chocolate Gaze- Made from honey, cocoa powder, and milk.

Variations

• Add apples- Mix in 1 diced apple into the batter.
• Russian version- Divide this batter into 8 cake pans and bake. Allow all the cakes to cool down. Them, layer them with Best Cream Cheese Frosting (Stable).
• Add spices- I just used vanilla extract but you can pumpkin spice mix or a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg.
• Add zests– Use fresh lemon, lime or orange zest to enhance the citrus flavor. Add it in the cake batter.
• Frosting options- I used a chocolate honey glaze because I am a big chocolate lover. You can also just drizzle honey on top of the cake or drizzle a vanilla glaze. You can also drizzle Homemade Dulce de Leche or Homemade Caramel Sauce. If you don't want a very sweet pairing, I recommend using this Homemade Whipped Cream.
• Decoration– Keep it simple with a classic glaze or you can toss some chopped nuts, shredded coconut, fresh fruits and even edible fresh flowers like I did on this Watermelon Cake.

How to make honey cake?

1. Mix together- Butter, honey, eggs, yogurt and vanilla.
2. Add in- Flour and baking powder until just combined.
3. Bake- Until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
4. Drizzle cake- With chocolate honey glaze and enjoy.

Tips and Techniques

• All ingredients should be at room temperature– That’s because they blend together smoothly and evenly.
• Don’t over-mix cake batter– Because this will yield a tough and it can also cause the cake to collapse/sink during baking.
• Temperature is key– Do not drizzle the glaze over the cake before it has cooled down or else it will make a sticky, soggy mess.
• How much glaze to use? This is entirely a personal preference. I drizzle enough to create little streaks on top of the cake, without soaking it completely.
• Use unsalted butter- To prevent this cake from becoming too salty.
• Oil vs. Butter- You must use butter because it make this cake dense and rich and also adds a buttery flavor that's lacking in oil.
• Use high quality ingredients- This is especially with regards to honey. Your cake is only as good as the ingredients you use. Make sure to use the best quality of honey you can find because it really affects the overall flavor.
• Use full fat ingredients- This is especially with regards to yogurt. I recommend Greek yogurt since it's richer and thicker and adds a lot of moisture to the cake.
• Leavening agents- For best texture, baking powder needs to be used and should not be replaced with baking soda.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

• Room temperature- This shouldn't be left out more than 2-3 hours. Keep in the fridge to maintain freshness.
• Refrigerate- Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze- Place in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw before serving.
• Make ahead- This cake is best fresh but can be made and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before serving. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month, thaw, and serve.

More easy cakes

• Easy Pumpkin Cake (With Cake Mix)
• Easy Applesauce Cake (With Cake Mix)
• Easy Spice Cake (Chai Cake)
• Easy Ginger Cake (With Ginger Frosting)
• Easy Apple Cake Recipe (With Cake Mix)

Recipe