Honey Cake

This delightful, moist honey cake recipe is so easy to make, and it’s perfectly sweet thanks to–you guessed it– real honey! I love its melt-in-your-mouth texture with just a hint of cinnamon for a warm-spiced flavor. I also love how simple it is! No complicated thousand layers here… just sweet honey and some crunchy almonds on top! I had it on the table in a little over an hour, which is less than half the time of a traditional Russian honey cake.

I’ve tried to make traditional Russian honey cake, but it’s just too complicated for me. Too many layers, too much time, and too much effort. But man, does it taste good! When I was developing my version, I wanted to ensure it still had that great flavor and texture and was made with all honey (no granulated sugar here!). This cake boasts maximum flavor with minimal effort– just 15 minutes of prep. The rest is all hands-off.

What’s in This Honey Cake Recipe?

Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cake structure.
Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise.
Cinnamon: Adds a touch of warmth.
Butter: Adds moisture to the cake and makes a tender crumb.
Honey: Sweetens the cake and adds a delicious floral flavor.
Eggs: Add richness to the cake.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract enhances the sweetness of the cake.
Sour Cream: Our favorite secret baking ingredient makes this cake ultra tender.
Almonds: Add a delightful crunch!

Tips For Success

As always, I recommend bringing any ingredients you have in the fridge to room temperature so they incorporate evenly.
I know it sounds pretentious, but using a kitchen scale to weigh my ingredients was life-changing for me. It ensures accuracy and consistent results, and my cake never turns out dense.
There are so many different varieties of honey, so choose the one you love for this cake. Clover, wildflower, or orange blossom honey are all great choices.
You want the honey to be a runny consistency so it incorporates evenly. I microwaved mine for about 10 seconds.

Take care not to overmix the batter, as this can cause too much gluten to develop, leading to a tough and chewy cake.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover honey cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let come to room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave before enjoying.

Freeze honey cake whole or cut into individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this delicious honey-glazed cake with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or tangy Greek yogurt to balance out its dense texture. Add some fresh berries for a pop of tartness, and pair it with an iced chai tea latte or a honey almond milk flat white to wash it down.

A slice of cake on a plate with almonds on it.

Honey Cake Recipe

Honey is the perfect sweetener for this moist cake that will simply melt-in-your-mouth!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Soak Time 20

Total Time 1 15

Servings slices

Calories 488kcal

Author Laurel Perry

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour 240 grams
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
1 cup honey 350 grams
3 large eggs 150 grams
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
½ cup sour cream 114 grams, room temperature

For the Honey Syrup

½ cup honey 175 grams
¼ cup water 57 grams
⅓ cup sliced almonds 29 grams, toasted (see note)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper circle.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon together.

2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and honey together until smooth.

½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup honey
Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well on medium speed after each and scrape down the bowl as needed. The mixture will not be smooth – that’s okay. Mix in the vanilla extract.

3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
Mix in the sour cream on low until just combined.

½ cup sour cream
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top into an even layer. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
While the cake cools, make the honey syrup. Add the honey and water to a small saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Stir in the almonds and set aside.

½ cup honey, ¼ cup water, ⅓ cup sliced almonds
Turn the cake out onto a plate. Use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Spoon over the honey syrup. Let the cake soak in the syrup for 20 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Note: To toast the almonds, spread them out on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. The almonds will be fragrant and lightly toasted when done.

Storage: Store honey cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

How to Make Honey Cake Step by Step

Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper circle and set aside for now.

A metal baking pan on a white background.

Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon together.

Mix the Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ½ cup of butter and 1 cup of honey together until smooth. Add 3 large eggs, one at a time. Mix well on medium speed after each and scrape down the bowl as needed. The mixture will not be smooth – that’s okay. Mix in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.

Make the Batter: Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix on low until just combined. Mix in ½ cup of sour cream on low until just combined.

Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top into an even layer. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

Make the Honey Syrup: While the cake cools, make the honey syrup. Add ½ cup of honey and ¼ cup of water to a small saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Stir in ⅓ cup of toasted sliced almonds and set aside.

Soak the Cake: Turn the cake out onto a plate. Use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Spoon over the honey syrup. Let the cake soak in the syrup for 20 minutes before serving.