This honey-sweetened spice cake is surprisingly light and fluffy for being sweetened with only honey. The cake has a delightful spice flavor that goes perfectly with the caramel flavored icing.
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Hello, my friends!
This delicious honey-sweetened spice cake has been a long time coming, but it is finally here! I first starting recipe testing this cake after I first posted my Mom’s spice cake three years ago. I did a lot of testing to make sure I had everything just right. And I’m super excited to share it with you.
The Cake
We love Mom’s spice cake, but some of my family prefers to eat only honey-sweetened treats (my Mom included). So finally having a perfected honey-sweetened version of her cake makes it so everyone can enjoy it.
Honey-sweetened cakes pose an interesting challenge because they are notorious for being dense, heavy, or over-browned. I worked through several versions that had some of these challenges until I finally landed on this one.
This honey-sweetened spice cake is so surprisingly light and fluffy. The texture is amazing and the flavor is just as good as the original.
The cake method I followed is similar to the original.
It starts out with a mixing a bowl of dry ingredients including five beautiful spices.
Then following a traditional cake method, you whip the honey and butter. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla. And finally alternate adding part of the dry ingredients with the milk, mixing between each addition.
Then the batter is placed in a greased 9×13-inch pan and baked into a beautiful cake.
It’s important not to overbake or the cake will be dry.
When its time to test it, first gently press your finger on the center, if the top springs back to the touch then you can double check that an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Testing too soon with the toothpick may cause the cake to fall.
I’ve baked this cake with both metal and glass pans. In my experience the metal pan bakes about 5 minutes quicker than the glass pan.
The Icing
One of the major problems I faced when coming up with a honey-sweetened version of this cake is the icing. My Mom’s cake had a delicious caramel frosting, but unfortunately for the honey-sweetened folk, it was made with powdered sugar.
Honey-sweetened icings are a little trickier to come up with. And I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s nothing like the original frosting. But it’s delicious with a lovely caramel flavor that I think you’ll love.
To make the icing combine in a small saucepan the butter, honey, heavy cream and egg yolks. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking continuously as butter melts. Continue whisking and simmering for 5-10 minutes after butter has melted until icing thickens and turns golden brown. Adjust the heat down, as needed, if icing starts to splatter.
I like to let the icing cool for about 20 to 30 minutes while the cake finishes cooking and cools for 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t be alarmed if the butter starts to separate as it cools, making it kind of lumpy. Just get in there with your whisk and whisk it vigorously until smooth and combined before icing the cake.
It should be nice and smooth when you apply it to the cake.
The best way to eat this cake
My favorite way to eat this cake is warm, but it can definitely be eaten at room temperature (and it’s easier to cut then too). Either way it’s delicious!
Honey-Sweetened Spice Cake with Caramel Icing
This honey-sweetened spice cake with caramel icing is surprisingly light and fluffy for being sweetened with only honey. The cake has a delightful spice flavor that goes perfectly with the caramel flavored icing.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup (11.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter softened
- 1 ¼ cup (15 ounces) raw honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup milk
Icing:
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- ⅜ cup (4.5 ounces) honey
- ¾ cup (6 ounces) heavy whipping cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
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In a medium sized bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, cream softened butter and honey with hand mixer until soft and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
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Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add ½ of the milk and mix. Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix. Add the last ½ of the milk and mix until combined. Add the final ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
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Pour cake batter into prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake in preheated 300 degree F oven for 40 to 50 minutes (see note) or until top springs back to the touch and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 to 10 minutes to set and then frost cake while warm. Cake can be served warm or at room temperature.
For Icing:
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While cake is baking prepare the icing. In a small saucepan, add butter, honey, heavy cream and egg yolks. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking continuously as butter melts. Continue whisking and simmering for 5-10 minutes after butter has melted until icing thickens and turns golden brown. Adjust the heat down, as needed, if icing starts to splatter.
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Take the pan off the heat and then stir in the vanilla. Let icing cool for 20 to 30 minutes before putting on the cake. Don't be alarmed if the butter starts to separate as it cools, making it kind of lumpy. Whisk it vigorously until smooth and combined before icing the cake.
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After cake has cooled 5 to 10 minutes but still warm, pour warm icing on cake and spread evenly around edges. Icing will set up slightly as it cools.
Recipe Notes
1. Be careful not to overbake or cake will be dry. I’ve baked this cake both with a metal and glass pan. In my experience the metal pan bakes about 5 minutes quicker than the glass pan.
2. My favorite way to eat this cake is warm. But it’s easier to cut when it’s at room temperature. Either way it’s delicious!
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat, adapted from my Mom’s spice cake to be honey-sweetened
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
