Honey Lemon Cake

Name: Honey Lemon Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: ½ cup butter (unsalted, softened); ½ cup white granulated sugar; 3 tablespoons honey; 2 eggs; 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour; ¾ teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; 6 tablespoons butter (melted); 3 cups powdered sugar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice

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By: Julie Blanner33 Comments
Posted: 6/6/17

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A delightfully sweet Honey Lemon Cake with a tender crumb topped in a delicious glaze. Make into adorable beehive cakes or in a muffin tin!

summer dessert recipe - honey lemon cake

Are you in the mood for a deliciously unique dessert? Then, look no further than this honey lemon cake recipe! Bursting with citrusy flavor, the combination of sweet honey and tangy lemon makes these little lemon desserts the perfect treat for any occasion. Impress guests at a dinner party or indulge in one of your favorite treats – this recipe will surely be a hit. So, preheat your oven and get ready to savor the goodness of fresh lemons and sweet honey in every bite!

In addition to this honey lemon cake, you’ll also enjoy this 2 ingredient honey lemonade recipe – it’s so refreshing! You can see more of this table setting here.

Why You’ll Love It

Light and Tangy – This recipe combines honey and lemon to create a light and tangy flavor!
Crowd-Pleaser – These little cakes are sure to become a fan favorite!
Easy – This recipe is super easy to make and only requires a few ingredients!

honey lemon cake with lemon glaze refreshing summer dessert recipe

Table of Contents

Ingredients and Substitutions

Visit the printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.

Butter – Salted or unsalted, your preference, softened.
Sugar – White granulated.
Honey – The key ingredient in this amazing cake.
Flour – All purpose flour.
Baking Powder – The leavening agent.
Salt – Brings out all the other flavors in baked goods.
Eggs – The binding ingredient.

Lemon Glaze

Butter – Salted or unsalted butter, your preference.
Powdered Sugar – It’s superfine in texture which lends itself well to glaze. If you don’t have any on hand, you can pulse granulated sugar in a food processor until fine (Also known as confectioner’s sugar.)
Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice or store bought in the produce section.

Directions

An overview, visit the printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.

Prep – Preheat oven and grease tin or pan.
Make Batter – In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and honey. Add eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
Bake – Pour or spoon batter into beehive or muffin tins until 3/4 full and bake in your preheated oven. They’re done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the Glaze – Combine butter, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. Pour over the tops of the cakes after cooling.

Tip

Beating Butter – Beat in the sugar until it’s light and fluffy. The fat (butter) and sugar hold air bubbles to create a fine texture and leaven the cake.
Bake Time – Time can vary from oven to oven, so use the toothpick test to determine the optimal baking time for your oven.

Serving Suggestions

Afternoon tea or coffee
Whipped cream
Vanilla ice cream
Topped with berries

Club crackers in and around a small food processor, on a marble countertop.

Tool to Use

Large mixing bowl for making the batter
Paddle attachment for combining the ingredients
Muffin or beehive cake tin for baking the cakes

How to Store

Room Temperature – To prevent it from drying out, store (cooled) in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Refrigerate – Wrap with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze – Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag to prevent any freezer odor from seeping in. Bring to room temperature to enjoy.

Reheat

Reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer to make the cake batter?

Yes, you can use a hand mixer on medium speed to cream the butter and sugar, then on low speed to mix in the dry and wet ingredients.

How do I cool the cakes before adding the glaze?

Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove them and let them cool completely on a wire rack set over a sheet pan.

Can I use canola oil or olive oil instead of butter?

Yes! I recommend using 3/4 of oil per amount of butter for the best result. For example, the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter. So, you would use 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of oil.

Can I use a loaf pan or a bundt pan?

Yes! With this recipe, you can make honey lemon pound cake or honey lemon bundt cake! Just make sure to adjust the bake time, as it will be slightly longer for a loaf or bundt cake.