This simple honey cake is so simple to mix together, quick to bake, and has a lovely honey flavor. It’s a perfect recipe to bake with your kids and share as an afternoon or morning treat together!
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A few nights ago, I read one of our favorite board books with the kids. Every time I read this book with them, I’m so blessed by their sweetness as they followed the instructions on each page to “swipe away the flour”, to “tap the eggs”, and to “blow kisses” and “wave goodbye” to the cupcakes.
I was inspired to do some baking together (also happens every time), and I wanted to share a recipe with y’all too.
Layer cakes and frosting and such are typically reserved for special occasions, but I do love having some simple treat recipes that aren’t really high in sugar, and that can be made without a lot of steps or waiting time.
This simple honey layer cake is new to the rotation. Other naturally-sweetened treats in our rotation include Blueberry Orange Breakfast Cake (dairy and gluten free), Ultimate Dark Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, Easy Strawberry Crisp (gluten-free), and Upside Down Peach Cake (cooked in the Instant Pot).
Simple Honey Cake
I adapted this recipe from a recipe in the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook, Naturally Sweetened. Their cake called for cake flour and maple syrup, but I wanted a recipe that could be made with more basic ingredients since we are still in this season of staying home and making do with what we have.
Instead of cake flour, I sifted all-purpose flour a couple of times with a metal strainer. I also substituted honey for maple syrup. The honey flavor shines through, but not in a bad way. All of my family really enjoyed this honey cake!
If you want to check out the book we read together, it’s called Stir, Crack, Whisk, Bake. It is also by America’s Test Kitchen and we adore it. (A is For Artichoke, A Foodie Alphabet is another ATK kids book and we love it too!)
The book is about making cupcakes, and we do that sometimes too, but as I mentioned, cupcakes are just more complicated than I usually want to do on a regular weekday.
I hope that this cake inspires you to get in the kitchen with your kids and share a treat together. This simple honey cake would also be perfect to enjoy with tea during afternoon or morning tea-time with a good book!
As always, I appreciate every pin and share, and LOVE seeing your pictures on Instagram so be sure to tag me!
Simple Honey Cake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Category: cake
- Method: baking
Description
This simple honey cake is so simple to mix together, quick to bake, and has a lovely honey flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted twice
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup melted coconut oil, cooled
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan.
- Sift the flour twice, then stir together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) in a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk together the oil, honey, vanilla, eggs, and milk in a large glass measuring cup. When the liquid ingredients are well-blended and smooth, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Dust the cake with powdered sugar, serve, and enjoy!
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Is this a cake that I can freeze when I need to make it ahead of time? I’m doing a lot of food prep for an event, and need to not have to do as much on the night before.
Just made this one but with some alterations… instead of eggs added baking soda to the flour mixture and lemon juice right before baking… It’s so soft. Love this recipe.
My 3 year old and I made this just now, we used butter , we don’t like coconut oil. Also used 1/2 a cup of honey and is definitely sweet enough. Tastes a bit eggy though, could that be because my eggs are extra large size? Nice moist cake . Will make again. Thanks 😊
★★★★
How much is it 1 cup in grams? Am not sure i have the same cup with you. My measuring cup dont have 3/4 size.
Can i use cake flour? Will it change the texture or taste?
Delicious! My daughter made this this evening. She is 11.
Hi! If I wanted to use maple syrup in place of honey, would it be the same amount? Thanks!
The recipe says tablespoon of vanilla extract. A teaspoon surely?
Can you use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil?
Yes.
Can anyone answer this pls who has made it, is it definitely a tbsp of vanilla extract? Thank you x
Yes, I think it is 1 tbsp of vanilla extract because the original America’s Test Kitchen recipe calls for 4 tsp (and there are 3 tsp in a tablespoon).