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.
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Hi Jenn,
The cake looks yummilicious and would like try next week for a birthday. The recipe calls for a cup of coffee. Do you mean coffee powder or actual drinking coffee? I am new to baking so would like understand clearly. If it is coffee powder, will any instant coffee would suffice? If it is actual coffee with water, could you please mention the ratio of coffee powder and water?
Hi Diana, this calls for liquid coffee. And I’m not certain what the ratio of instant (powdered) coffee to water should be, but I’m sure that the packaging for the coffee should provide guidance on that. Hope you enjoy the cake!
I tried this today at last. I omitted allspice as I did not have it on hand. The cake was delicious and super moist. I tried your Scottish shortbread too and I was appreciated for their taste. Thanks so much! Planning on to try more of your recipes 🙂
I just baked this honey cake with gluten free flour…my daughter who won’t eat cakes without frosting had 3 big slices…my otherwise well behaved dog tried to get it from the countertop…I gave him a slice and he devoured it in a second.
My husband made spiced tea to have with the cake and was raving about it.
Not only the cake smelled and tasted amazing, it looked pretty in amber. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
This is a wonderful recipe, thank you! Even my parents (who are not a fan of cakes in general) loved this so it really says something.
Question.. I’m wondering if the canola oil can be replaced with butter
Not sure if it affects the flavour, or why the canola oil is used in this recipe in particular
Thanks in advance!
So glad your family enjoyed it, Ivan! I think you could use melted butter in place of the oil here without any issues.
Okay will give that a shot. Thanks so much for all your fantastic recipes!
How I love this cake, let me count the ways… I have made this cake two days in a row now. It is amazingly delicious. Growing up in Israel, I remember having honey cookies that were sold in the supermarket but I don’t think I have ever had a honey cake before. I was looking for a recipe and I loved the ingredients in this one.
The first time around, I stuck pretty close to the recipe. I didn’t have ground clove so I substituted with a pumpkin spice mix, which I had on hand and contained clove in it. To make the tea, I used three tea bags of earl grey and let them steep in a cup of hot water until the tea cooled. The batter produced one large loaf (using a 9×5 loaf pan) and 5 mini loafs. The taste and texture were amazing. I brought into work and everyone who had a piece thought it was delicious. I should mention that the smell in the house while the cake was baking was out of this world. If Rosh Hashana had a smell, this would be it.
The second time around I made a bundt. I reduced the white sugar by a third, I used coffee (an instant Nescafe I get in Aruba), and I replaced 10-15% of the honey with Silan (a date syrup aka date honey). I also sprinkled the pan with white sugar (guilt for removing some) after I sprayed it with oil. The result was just as incredible. It was moist, sweet, a bit more caramelized on the outside, and I can taste the dates. I should also mention that it was super easy to make (my kind of recipe).
This would be a great base for all kinds of concoctions… 🙂
Thank you, Jen. Wishing all a happy, healthy new year, full of joy, fulfillment, personal growth, and abundance.
Your version sounds wonderful, Mirit. Wishing you a happy new year too!
I had never heard of a Honey Cake, but found this recipe while looking for a good spice cake to make. Every recipe I have tried from your site has become my new favorite and this is no exception. It was amazing, and very simple to make! I never change your recipes, however I didn’t have as much honey as I thought I had so I made up the difference with maple syrup. Thank you for sharing your talent and your recipes, you’re awesome!
I made this cake in a bundt pan and had no issues at all with it sticking, I used all orange juice. I have to say, I was expecting it to be spicier and sweeter. It tasted like pumpkin bread to me more than anything (maybe because I used pumpkin spice coffee?) Anyway, it was good, but i would not make again expecting a cake.
I made this cake in a well greased bundt pan. It came out of the pan with no problem. The cake was moist and everyone loved the flavor. The leftovers were even better the next day (I did make it a day ahead, so the flavors could continue blending together).
This is now my go to cake for the holidays! I have done it in a traditional bundt pan and in a silicon ring (bundt) pan and both turned out well, but I think I liked the silicon finish better. dusted the top with confectioner’s sugar. Also made a great gift cake for new neighbors and was very well received. Now a favorite of everyone’s! Need to do again in smaller loaves to freeze. Five stars!*****
Hi Jen,
Can you double the recipe?
Thanks!
Yes Jenny, and it freezes nicely if you have leftovers.
Bakes up beautifully.
Way too sweet.