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  1. Food and Cooking
  2. Recipes
  3. Honey Cake

Honey Cake

There's honey in the batter and drizzled on top for good measure.

By Leah PerezPublished: Aug 22, 2025
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the pioneer woman's honey cake recipe
C.W. Newell
Yields:
8 - 10 serving(s)
Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins

This honey cake is a celebration of the bees! The delightful dessert is infused with ribbons of luscious honey, and since that's not enough, it's also drenched in a lemon and honey syrup while it's still warm. The golden liquid sweetener is a superstar ingredient for baking. Honey helps cakes and cupcakes stay moist, adds a unique caramelized flavor, and even gives your baked treats a beautiful golden color. This cake is rounded out with gentle spice from ground ginger, bright fresh lemon, and crunchy almonds. It's the ideal pairing with a glass of sweet tea or coffee as an afternoon snack or a breakfast worth waking up for.

If you're looking for more snacking cake inspiration, try pumpkin coffee cake or a classic apple cake for fall.

Why is there Greek yogurt in honey cake?

The small amount of Greek yogurt in this honey cake recipe makes a huge impact. The yogurt gives the cake a soft, tender texture and a subtle tangy flavor. If you want to dress the cake up a bit, serve slices topped with dollops of Greek yogurt and sliced fresh fruit.

What's the best way to store honey cake?

Cover the cake tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to three days. The cake can also be frozen for up to one month. Let the cake thaw at room temperature before serving, or place it in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes to speed up the process.

Can you make honey cake without almonds?

If you're skipping nuts altogether, you can make the recipe without the almonds. If you'd like to swap them out, replace the almonds with chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. Toasting the nuts enhances their flavor and adds a nice warm color. Just keep a close eye on them in the oven; they can go from golden to burnt in seconds.

Why do cake ingredients need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients blend together better, creating a smoother, fluffier cake batter. If you start with eggs, butter, and Greek yogurt cold from the fridge, you could end up with a lumpy mess. Put your butter, eggs, and yogurt on the counter an hour before you start baking for the best results.

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Ingredients

  • Baking spray with flour, for the pan

  • 1/4 cup

    sliced almonds

  • 1 1/4 cups

    all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 tsp.

    baking powder

  • 1 1/2 tsp.

    ground ginger 

  • 2/3 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 2 tsp.

    lemon zest plus 1 tsp. lemon juice

  • 1 cup

    (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature

  • 3/4 cup

    honey

  • 4

    large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tsp.

    vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup

    Greek yogurt, at room temperature

  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

    1. Step 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with baking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again.
    2. Step 2On a baking sheet, spread the almonds in a single layer and bake until the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a cutting board, and let them cool completely. Coarsely chop.
    3. Step 3In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and ginger.
    4. Step 4To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and lemon zest. With clean hands, rub the zest into the sugar, helping to release the oils and flavors. Add the butter, and mix on low speed until just combined, 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Decrease the speed to medium-low and add ½ cup of the honey, beating well to combine. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the vanilla, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the Greek yogurt, until everything is just combined.
    5. Step 5Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Tap the pan a few times on a kitchen towel-lined countertop to remove air bubbles.
    6. Step 6Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, and turn it over again onto a wire rack. 
    7. Step 7Meanwhile, in a liquid measuring cup, heat the remaining ¼ cup honey in the microwave in 10-second intervals until thin and pourable, 20 to 30 seconds. Stir in the lemon juice.
    8. Step 8Pour the warm honey evenly over the warm cake, and sprinkle with the almonds. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. 
Love this recipe? Try one of these next!
  • Coconut Pound Cake
  • Strawberry Cake
  • Chocolate Bundt Cake
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