Honey Cake
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Whether it’s for Rosh Hashanah, a family get-together or just because, this honey cake is all about sweetness, warm spice, and cozy flavor in every slice.
This honey cake recipe is adapted from Marcy Goldman’s much-loved cookbook, A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking. Many say the recipe alone is worth the price of the book, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s hands-down the best honey cake I’ve ever tasted. Tender, moist, and full of depth (there’s coffee, orange juice, and whiskey in it!), the honey flavor really shines through.
Honey cake is perfect with a cup of coffee for breakfast or a snack, or dressed up for dessert with whipped cream and a drizzle of honey. Best of all, it’s incredibly easy to make—just mix the batter by hand in one bowl, pour into the pan, and bake. It keeps well at room temperature for up to two days, and the recipe can easily be doubled if you’d like to freeze one for later or share with a friend.
“So easy to make, with a tender crumb and delicious flavour, and the house smelt wonderful while it baked.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Honey Cake
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda – Work together to give the cake structure and a light, fluffy rise. Always measure flour using the spoon-and-level method for accuracy.
- Ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice – Warm spices that add a cozy depth of flavor.
- Vegetable oil – Keeps the cake incredibly moist and soft.
- Sugar, honey, and orange juice – Provide sweetness, moisture, and balance. Honey is the star here, lending its signature rich flavor, while orange juice adds brightness that complements the spices.
- Vegetable oil and eggs – Keep the cake incredibly moist, soft, and rich, while binding everything together.
- Brewed coffee, whisky (or orange liqueur), and vanilla extract – Enhance and deepen the flavors, balancing sweetness with warm, fragrant notes.
- Sliced almonds – Adds a bit of crunch on top for a nice contrast in texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Whisk to combine.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients. Add the oil, honey, eggs, coffee, orange juice, whiskey/orange liqueur, and vanilla extract. Using a strong wire whisk, mix the ingredients until well combined.
Step 3: Prep for baking. Pour the batter into a greased 8 or 9-inch cake pan and sprinkle the top evenly with the almonds.
Step 4: Bake and cool. Bake the cake for 40 to 50 minutes in a 9-inch pan, or 45 to 55 minutes in an 8-inch pan, until it’s set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack for about 15 minutes, then invert it onto the rack and flip it right side up to finish cooling.
Step 5: Serve. Enjoy the cake warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of honey if you like. If you’re not serving it the same day, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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Honey Cake
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup honey
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ⅓ cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons whisky or orange liqueur (or substitute more orange juice)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
For Serving (Optional)
- Whipped cream
- Honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray an 8 or 9-inch (20 or 23-cm) cake pan (see note) with nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Pam Baking or Baker’s Joy.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Add the oil, honey, eggs, coffee, orange juice, whiskey/orange liqueur, and vanilla extract. Whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the almonds. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes if using a 9-inch pan, or 45 to 55 minutes for an 8-inch pan, until the cake is set and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and turn it right side up to finish cooling.
- Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, topped with whipped cream and drizzled with honey, if desired. If not serving on the same day, place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil or freezer wrap and place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the counter before serving.
- If you’d like a taller cake with more of a dome on top, opt for the 8-inch pan.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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Made it over the holidays. I didn’t have vegetable oil, so used olive oil. I used a mix of brown and white sugar but cut it to just over half a cup and added a little extra OJ (maybe a Tablespoon) to make sure it wouldn’t be too dry. It was fantastic and people said it was the best honey cake they’d ever had. Next year I may add some diced apples. It has absolutely earned a permanent place in the baking repertoire. Thank you!
Hey there! I love your recipes and it always turns out so well. I do have two questions for honey cake. Can I use a springform pan instead of a cake pan? Also, I’m confused when you say to invert the cake since it says right side up. Are you saying take it out of pan after 15 minutes of cooling or just flipping it? Thanks again
Hi D, thanks for your nice words about the recipes – so glad you like them! The batter for this cake is fairly liquidy, so I don’t recommend a springform pan. And regarding removing the cake from the pan, you’ll need to invert it to get it out of the pan. After it’s on the rack, you can flip it over so the top side is up. Hope that clarifies!
Can this be made in a 9×5 loaf pan?
Sure, that should be fine. Bake time may be a little different different so keep a close eye on it.
Hi. Can you include the nutritional information for a slice of this cake?
Thank you in advance.
I just added them. 😊
Jenn, I can’t wait to bake this cake this week. A quick question . . . The recipe says, if using orange juice (instead of the liqueur) to use more. How much OJ should I use?
Thank you!! BTW, a previous commenter said, “You are a HONEY of a chef.” I couldn’t agree more!!! 😊
Thanks for the “sweet” words! 😉
You’d replace the alcohol with 2 more tablespoons of OJ. Hope you enjoy!
Love your recipes! How would you adjust this for high altitude—5280 ft to be exact? When I make your Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe I add an extra egg and a little extra sour cream (no clue how much because I never measure it) and it comes out perfect every time. Not sure if that would be the best way to go with a honey cake.
Hi Debi, I don’t have any personal experience baking at high altitudes, so unfortunately, don’t have any wisdom to share, but you may find the tips in this post helpful (see #14 – Make Adjustments at High Altitude). Hope you find them useful!
Good morning Jenn! My entire holiday meal tomorrow is coming from your recipes – they are always a huge hit. Is there a way to alter the recipe so I can bake this in my bundt pan? I have a round pan but I love the look of a the bundt for the holiday. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, I’m incredibly flattered that your table will have many of my recipes on it! I haven’t made this cake in a Bundt pan, but I think you could. Just be sure to treat it thoroughly to prevent sticking. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it. 😊
Hi Jenn,
For those with nut allergies, do you recommend another topping or just to omit the almonds? Thanks and happy new year!
Hi Carolyn, you can just omit the elements. It will still be delicious. 😊