Golden Honey Butter Cake

Honey Butter Cake: A Decadent Honey-Infused Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Butterscotch Glaze

Prepare to embark on a truly delightful culinary journey with our exquisite Honey Butter Cake. This isn’t just any cake; it’s a celebration of all things honey, crafted meticulously to create an unforgettable dessert experience. For true honey aficionados, this recipe offers a symphony of flavors and textures, with honey woven into every luxurious layer – from the tender cake itself to the velvety frosting and the show-stopping butterscotch glaze.

Imagine the aroma wafting through your kitchen as this golden masterpiece bakes: a warm, inviting scent of pure honey, mingling with rich butter and vanilla. The cake layers are incredibly tender, boasting a delicate crumb and a mellow sweetness that’s simply irresistible on its own. But the magic truly begins when these perfect layers are generously slathered with our tangy-sweet Honey Cream Cheese Frosting. This frosting strikes an ideal balance, its subtle tang cutting through the richness while its creamy texture complements the cake’s softness.

The grand finale, however, is the dramatic cascade of our glistening Honey Butterscotch Glaze. Like liquid sunshine, this amber-hued drizzle gently flows over the cake, creating beautiful, enticing drips down the sides. Each bite is a revelation: the soft cake, the smooth, creamy frosting, and the rich, caramelized notes of the butterscotch glaze, often finished with a delicate scattering of gold sanding sugar for that extra touch of elegance. This cake isn’t just a dessert; it’s a masterpiece designed to impress and delight.

This recipe is designed for those who appreciate the subtle complexities of honey as a core flavor. We’ve ensured that the honey isn’t just an afterthought but a star ingredient that shines through in every component. From the careful selection of your honey to the precise measurements of each ingredient, we guide you through creating a cake that’s both comforting and sophisticated.

Contents

The Perfect Honey Cake Base

The foundation of this exceptional dessert is a tender, moist honey cake. Using buttermilk in the batter contributes to its incredible softness and adds a delicate tang that balances the sweetness of the honey. Room temperature ingredients are crucial for achieving a smooth, well-emulsified batter that bakes evenly and rises beautifully. Don’t rush the creaming of the butter and sugar – this step incorporates air, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cake. Similarly, alternating between wet and dry ingredients ensures proper mixing without overworking the gluten, which can lead to a tough cake. The goal is a light, airy crumb that melts in your mouth.

Luscious Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

No layer cake is complete without a truly spectacular frosting, and our Honey Cream Cheese Frosting is precisely that. It’s rich, creamy, and wonderfully balanced, offering the perfect counterpoint to the sweet honey cake. The combination of softened cream cheese and unsalted butter creates a luxurious base, while a generous amount of honey infuses it with its distinctive floral notes. The confectioners’ sugar sweetens it to perfection, ensuring a frosting that’s both spreadable and stable. This frosting isn’t just for covering; it’s an integral part of the flavor profile, adding a delightful tang that prevents the cake from being overly sweet.

The Show-Stopping Honey Butterscotch Glaze

What truly elevates this Honey Butter Cake to a showstopper is the exquisite Honey Butterscotch Glaze. This isn’t just a simple topping; it’s a warm, inviting embrace of caramelized sugar, rich butter, and, of course, honey. The process of making the glaze involves carefully caramelizing sugar and honey, then incorporating heavy cream and butter to create a smooth, glossy sauce. The rich, deep flavors of butterscotch marry beautifully with the sweet, aromatic honey, resulting in a glaze that’s both visually stunning and incredibly delicious. Achieving that perfect drip is easier than you think, and we provide tips to ensure your glaze cascades down the sides with elegant precision, making every slice look like it came from a professional patisserie.

Tips for Baking Success

Creating a multi-layered cake might seem daunting, but with a few key tips, you’ll achieve perfection. Always ensure your ingredients are at room temperature, especially butter, eggs, and buttermilk. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smooth, homogenous batter and frosting. When mixing the cake batter, be careful not to overmix once the flour is added, as this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in a dense cake. For the glaze, patience is key during the caramelization process; watch for the color change, but don’t stir until it’s time to add the cream. Finally, chilling the cake after the crumb coat and after applying the glaze helps everything set beautifully, ensuring clean slices and a professional finish.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I use different types of honey for this recipe?
A: Absolutely! The type of honey you choose will subtly influence the flavor profile. A light, floral honey like clover or acacia will result in a delicate flavor, while a darker, more robust honey like buckwheat or wild-flower will give the cake a deeper, richer honey taste. Experiment to find your favorite!

Q: My frosting seems too thin. What can I do?
A: If your honey cream cheese frosting is too thin after whipping, try refrigerating it for about 30 minutes. Chilling the butter and cream cheese will help it firm up. If it’s still too thin, gradually add more confectioners’ sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

Q: Can the honey butterscotch glaze be made ahead of time?
A: Yes, the honey butterscotch glaze can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Before using, allow it to come to room temperature, or gently warm it in a microwave or on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a pourable consistency.

Q: How should I store the Honey Butter Cake?
A: Due to the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep well for 3-4 days. For the best flavor and texture, allow the cake to come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before serving.

Q: What if I don’t have three 8-inch round pans?
A: You can bake this cake in two 8-inch round pans, but you will need to increase the baking time. Keep an eye on the cake and use the toothpick test to determine doneness. You may also need to level the cakes once cooled if they dome significantly. Alternatively, you can use two 9-inch pans for slightly thinner layers and a shorter bake time.

Q: Can I add spices to the cake?
A: While the recipe focuses on pure honey flavor, a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg could add a lovely warmth to the cake layers, especially if you enjoy spiced desserts. Start with ¼ teaspoon and adjust to your preference.

This Honey Butter Cake is more than just a recipe; it’s an invitation to create something truly special in your kitchen. Whether for a celebration, a special gathering, or simply a treat for yourself, this cake promises to deliver a memorable experience. Its balanced sweetness, tender texture, and stunning presentation make it a true baking triumph. So gather your ingredients, follow our detailed steps, and prepare to indulge in the ultimate honey dream cake!

Honey Butter Cake

Print Recipe

4.7 from 6 reviews

A honey infused layer cake recipe topped with honey cream cheese frosting and drizzled with a dramatic honey butterscotch glaze.

Author: Carrie Sellman
Yield: One 8″ Round Cake (3 layers)
Category: Dessert, Cake

Ingredients

For the Honey Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature

For the Honey Cream Cheese Frosting:

12 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 – 6 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
⅓ cup honey

For the Honey Butterscotch Glaze:

⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup honey
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
pinch of fine sea salt
gold sanding sugar (optional, for decoration)

Instructions

Make the Honey Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Butter and lightly flour three 8″ round cake pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, honey, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated.
Gradually add the dry ingredients mixture and the wet ingredients mixture (buttermilk, honey, vanilla), alternating between them. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the three prepared 8″ round pans.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
Let the cake layers cool in their pans for 10 to 15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure they are fully cooled before frosting.

Make the Honey Cream Cheese Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and softened cream cheese until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, starting with 4 cups and adding more as needed to reach desired consistency and sweetness. Continue to mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically.
Add the honey and mix on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Make the Honey Butterscotch Glaze:

Combine granulated sugar and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely and you have a clear liquid.
Continue to cook the mixture without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally. The mixture will begin to bubble and will gradually deepen in color to an amber or butterscotch brown.
Once the mixture reaches a rich butterscotch brown color, carefully stir it once with a wooden spoon and immediately remove the pan from the heat.
Carefully pour in the heavy cream and stir continuously until it is fully combined and smooth. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble up rapidly.
Add the unsalted butter and stir until it has melted and the glaze is smooth. Stir in the pinch of fine sea salt.
Allow the sauce to cool completely before using it on the cake! This glaze can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator. If stored, let the glaze come to room temperature or gently warm it until it is pourable before applying to the cake.

Assemble the Cake:

Place one cooled cake layer onto your desired serving plate or cake stand. Spread about one cup of the Honey Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over the top.
Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the frosting, and repeat with another generous layer of frosting. Then, add the final cake layer.
Apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake (top and sides) to create a crumb coat. This seals in any loose crumbs. Refrigerate the cake for about 20 minutes, or until the crumb coat is set.
Once the crumb coat is firm, frost the entire cake with the remaining Honey Cream Cheese Frosting, smoothing the sides and top as desired. Refrigerate again for 20 minutes to set the frosting.
Drizzle the cooled Honey Butterscotch Glaze over the top of the cake, allowing some of it to elegantly drip down the sides. For a truly dramatic effect, start with a few drips around the edge before covering the top. Refrigerate for another 20 minutes or until the glaze is set.
If desired, sprinkle the top of the cake with gold sanding sugar for an extra touch of sparkle. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.

Notes

You may bake this as two full-sized 8″ round cake layers, with an increased bake time (check for doneness with a toothpick). Alternatively, I baked it as three intentionally shorter 8″ round layers that do not need to be torted (cut in half horizontally), creating a taller, more impressive cake.
If the frosting is too thin after whipping, refrigerate it for 30 minutes before assembling the cake. The chilled frosting will have a thicker consistency. For an even thicker consistency, add additional confectioners’ sugar as desired.
Find helpful tips on how to make beautiful drips here (for a ganache cake, but the principles apply).
Store the finished Honey Butter Cake in the refrigerator. For optimal taste and texture, serve at room temperature.

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