Classic Spiced Honey Cake
A Cake Built Around Honey
In most cakes, honey is a supporting player. In this one, it's the star. A full cup of honey goes into the batter, along with warm spices, a little coffee, and a splash of orange juice.
It's moist, tender, and keeps well. In fact, it tastes best a day after baking, once the flavors have had time to settle in, so it's a great make-ahead dessert.
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Spiced Honey Cake
Moist, spiced, and even better on day two.
| Prep20 min | Bake40–65 min | TotalAbout 1 1/2 hrs | Yield12–16 slices |
Ingredients
Dry:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Wet:
- 1 cup honey (we use our Beeholden Farms raw honey)
- 3/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or light olive oil)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup brewed coffee or strong black tea, cooled
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment: a 10-inch Bundt pan or a 9x13-inch pan, plus a cooling rack.
Instructions
- Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan or a 9x13-inch pan. Honey cake loves to stick, so don't skimp.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the honey, oil, brown sugar, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the coffee, orange juice, and vanilla.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thin; that's normal.
- Bake. Pour into the pan. Bake a 9x13 pan for 40 to 45 minutes, or a Bundt pan for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
- Cool. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out a Bundt cake onto a rack (leave a 9x13 in the pan). Cool completely.
- Rest. For the best flavor, wrap the cooled cake and let it sit at room temperature overnight before slicing.
Recipe notes: Honey makes baked goods brown faster, which is why this cake bakes at a lower temperature. For a plant-based version, use 3 flax eggs (3 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tablespoons water, rested 10 minutes); the cake will be a bit denser. A drizzle of raw honey over each slice when serving adds a fresh, floral finish.
Ways to Serve It
- Plain, with a cup of tea or coffee.
- With a drizzle of raw honey and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
- With whipped cream and sliced apples or honey-glazed baked pears.
- Toasted, day-three slices warmed in a skillet with a little butter.
Storage and Safety Tips
- Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 5 days. A cake carrier keeps it fresh and makes it easy to bring along.
- Freeze the whole cake or individual slices, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
- Not for babies. Honey in any form, including baked into cake, should never be given to children under 12 months old.
When You Need to Use a Cup of Honey, it Deserves Good Honey
When honey is the main ingredient, you can really taste the difference. Our fall harvest has a deep, rich flavor that's made for spiced cakes like this one.
Ready to bake? Shop our raw honey here. Local to Fremont? Pickup is free, and we offer free local delivery to the 94536 zip code on orders of $35 or more.
Honey too thick to measure? Read why raw honey crystallizes and how to warm it back up gently.
