Honey cake is a High Holiday staple, and it doesn’t get more classic than this delicious version. And the good news is that it is a true one-bowl recipe.
Honey cake is a traditional dessert served for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Honey symbolizes the hope for a sweet year to come, and plays a starring role in this cake. While often maligned as dry, dense or even old-fashioned, I think you’ll agree that this recipe puts to rest any negative associations. Yes, it is a brown cake, but this easy honey cake bakes up tender and moist, with a beautiful, burnished bronze color that will be a hit on your holiday table. Naturally dairy-free, the cake gets its tender crumb from the eggs and oil, while the addition of brewed coffee offsets the sweetness.
I’ve deployed one of my favorite tips for a clean release from the pan that also yields a beautiful finish, by using granulated sugar to replace the flour typically used to prep the pan. The cake releases perfectly, without that chalkiness that flour leaves. Instead, the sugar gives a slightly jeweled effect, and a subtle crunch — no frosting needed.
That said, if you are Team More is More and want to top this cake, a simple glaze made from confectioner’s sugar and the zest and juice from a large orange or lemon works beautifully. You’ll need about 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar, and can add water (a bit at a time) if needed to create a pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cake and let set at room temperature before serving.
This honey cake stores beautifully, making it a perfect treat for days to follow. To store the cake, wrap in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to one week. Its sturdy nature makes it a no-fuss travel companion (if you’re going to glaze it, wait till you get to your destination for the prettiest finish). Serve for breakfast, with a cup of tea or for a delicious afternoon snack.
One Bowl Honey Cake Recipe
This one-bowl honey cake is an easy Rosh Hashanah dessert that bakes up tender and moist. It keeps for up to a week and travels well, making it a perfect High Holiday gift. With a beautiful bronze, sugar-speckled exterior, this simple honey cake doesn’t even need frosting!
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8–10 1x
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup granulated sugar + extra for prepping the pan
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup strong brewed coffee
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a Bundt or tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. If using a tube pan, cut a parchment circle to fit the bottom and spray again. Pour in a few tablespoons of sugar and tap the pan to coat, adding more sugar if needed.
- Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, whisk the eggs till combined. Add 1 cup of the sugar, the honey, vegetable oil and coffee and whisk again till well combined.
- Add the remaining ingredients and whisk till smooth and well blended. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake the cake till a tester comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Place another rack on top of the pan and carefully turn over to release the cake. Remove and discard the parchment paper, then re-invert the cake so it is upright. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
To store the cake, wrap in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to one week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Holiday
Olive oil or vegetable oil?
The recipe calls for vegetable oil. Enjoy!
What is the size of the Bundt
A 10 inch bundt pan is standard
Can it be made in other pans?
It can definitely be made in another pan, but you will need to make sure to grease and line a different pan, and will need to adjust baking time to the size and shape of the pan accordingly. There are tools online that can give you the adjustments.
The description says that the cake “gets its tender crumb from the eggs and olive oil.” Should that be vegetable oil?
Yes, its vegetable oil. Thank you and the post is updated!
It specifies “1/2 Cloves”.
1/2 what? (Tbsp, Tsp, etc.)?
Hi! Our apologies and we will make sure the recipe is updated. It is 1/2 tsp ground cloves.
Can this cake be frozen and thawed for the holiday?
Honey cakes tend to freeze well, yes. Just make sure to allow the cake to cool completely before freezing.
Can this recipe be cut in half to bake in a smaller pan? Would a loaf pan work?
This cake was not tested in a loaf pan. If you try it, you will need to adjust the baking time.
Can this be made with gluten free flour that measures 1:1 plus xantham gum?
Its worth a try, but it was not tested as gluten-free so we cannot say for sure. Here is a list of specifically gluten-free honey cakes.
How do you line a Bundt pan with a fluted bottom?
This direction only applies if you are using a round tube pan.
What honey do you suggest? I usually use date honey or a darker color honey.
You should use a honey that you enjoy.
Is the parchment paper put on the bottom of the bundt pan? So all ingredients are poured on top?
Parchment is only used for a tube pan. Yes, all ingredients are poured on top.
elegant recipe – thank you. Dumb question: Where exactly are you placing the parchment circle? It it actually in the Bundt pan, or is it underneath?
If using a bundt pan you dont need parchment; if you use a tube pan, then you would place parchment at the bottom.
Can this be made with whole wheat flour or any other flour?
We would not recommend using whole wheat flour, the cake will be too dense and dry. You could try it with another flour, but the recipe was not tested this way so we can’t promise what the results will be. If you try it, let us know.
We love an olive oil cake. Can that be substituted for the veg oil?
Also, just to be clear, if using a Bundt pan no parchment required, right?
(I am obviously not a practiced baker. This would be my first attempt!)
Yes, you could substitute with a mild tasting olive oil. If using a bundt pan, no parchment. Good luck!
Any recommendations for what kind of honey?
If you measure the vegetable oil 1st into the measuring cup and THEN the honey, the honey just slides right out of the cup, no scraping or losing any precious gold sweetness.
Great tip!
Are there any known adjustments for high altitude (7,000 ft) ?
I would do a quick google search for this; we aren’t as well versed in baking adjustments for high altitudes (but someone on the internet is!).
The cake looks delicious, could I use buckwheat honey?
Sure, though because buckwheat honey tends to be darker and more intense, it may alter the flavor and color of the cake. Let us know how it turns out!
I would like to use this recipe with my students. What would you suggest as a substitute for the 3/4 cups of brewed coffee? Thanks
You could try decaffeinated coffee, or water.
My husband eats strictly chocolate. Can chocolate be added to this recipe?
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It wasn’t tested with chocolate, so we can’t say for sure. But you could either try adding some chocolate chips, or a chocolate glaze on top. Let us know if you try it!
We don’t drink coffee, so there is none in the house. Is there some thing I could use to substitute?
You could try water or tea, just keep in mind this may alter the flavor slightly.
My great-aunt made a similar recipe but added a shot of whiskey and 1 cup of raisins. Whiskey aside, how do you think raisins would work in this cake?
Love the idea of some whiskey! If you like raisins, go for it; this recipe wasn’t tested with raisins through so we cannot say for sure.
Go to Starbucks and get a Cup of Black Coffee. Ask for it to be strong.
Hi Shannon,
I would like to try oats flour and very fine slices of apples in the batter.
What do you think?
Thank you
Making that number of changes will alter the recipe greatly. I wouldn’t recommend using all oat flour, but perhaps mixing it. Adding a raw fruit into a cake will add additional moisture and could also change the consistency considerably.
Oooops!
I forgot to ask: what about coconut oil instead of vegetable?
Thanks again.
Hi Magnolia, we have not tested this recipe with coconut oil so cannot say definitively. However, typically you can sub coconut oil for vegetable in desserts, just ensure that the coconut oil is melted and that the other ingredients are at room temperature.
I made the cake using buckwheat honey and was very pleased with the result, it reminded me of gingerbread. Would definitely make again, thanks for sharing the recipe!
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To the reader who asked about buckwheat honey. I make MarcyGoldman’s recipe Majestic Moist Honey cake as adjusted by Deb Perlman of Smitten Kitchen. It is very similar to this one. Perlman reduced the 1 tablespoon of baking powder in the original recipe to1 tsp eliminating the partial sinking of the cake. I always use buckwheat honey and it makes for the most outstanding honey cake. I also allow it to ripen by wrapping it in plastic wrap for a day. I baked mine yesterday and had a completely smooth top. No ridges. It’s in the freezer now.
The recipe says to “whisk the eggs til emulsified.” Usually an emulsion is 2 ingredients, so I’m curious about what the texture of the eggs should be before adding the other liquid ingredients? I’m looking forward to making this cake for Rosh Hashanah this year.
Hi Carol, thanks for flagging this. The eggs should simply be whisked until they are combined. We also have a short video on Instagram for this recipe, for reference. I hope you enjoy the cake! Rachel at The Nosher.
Do you place the parchment paper inside the pan?
Yes.
YUM! I made this today for my boyfriend for Rosh Hashanha and it was delicious. I have celiacs, so I adjusted the recipe slightly. Since gluten free flour tends to dry things out, I added an additional shot of whiskey and I also added some pecans. I also ran out of cinnamon after 1/2 tsp, so I supplemented with cardamom. But it is heavenly and moist.
Thank you so much!
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