Honey Lemon Cake

LAST UPDATED: Apr 14, 2020 | PUBLISHED: Jun 06, 2017 | By: Julie Blanner
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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!

    honey lemon cake in beehive shape with glaze drizzled over it

    There are three kinds of people – those who love cake, those who love icing and those who will eat anything sweet are equal opportunity dessert eaters who will consume it all with no regrets. Can you guess which I am?

    If I have a pile of icing on my cupcake, I will devour it in a heartbeat, but that’s also how I had to become a calorie counter.

    Now when I go for something sweet I take a couple hints from my Grandma – everything in moderation and a little drizzle of glaze never hurt anyone. This honey lemon cake is the perfect duo – a hint of something sweet, but not too much!

    These little beehive cakes are so simple to make from a darling little tin. The sweet lemon glaze looks like honey overflowing.

    beehive shaped cake on a plate with flowers

    One of my Grandma’s favorite desserts to make (aside from pie, she always had 10 in the freezer “just in case”) was angel food cake. I always enjoyed it – simple, sweet, and topped with a beautiful lemon glaze.

    Angel food cake is beautiful, right out of the bundt pan and it takes absolutely no effort to drizzle it with glaze.

    Like most of my recipes, it’s quick and easy and made with staple ingredients, perfect for spring and summer!

    Honey Lemon Cake Ingredients

    • Butter – Salted or unsalted, your preference, softened.
    • Sugar – White granulated.
    • Honey – The key ingredient in this amazing cake.
    • Flour – All purpose.
    • 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, 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 – Freshly squeezed or store bought in produce section.
    table setting with flowers and dessert plate with honey lemon beehive cake

    How to Make Honey Lemon Cake

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

    Tips

    • 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.
    • Baking Pan – This honey lemon cake is just as simple and beautiful, without any additional effort. I used a beehive cakelet pan, but any muffin tin will do, too!

    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 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.

    In addition to this honey lemon cake, you’ll also enjoy my 2 ingredient honey lemonade recipe – it’s so refreshing!

    You can see more of this table setting here.

    Want more? Receive the best ideas directly to your inbox and connect on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

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    summer dessert recipe - honey lemon cake

    Honey Lemon Cake

    Author: Julie Blanner
    Honey Lemon Cake is the perfect duo – sweet honey balances the tart lemon for an irresistible subtly sweet cake!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 17 mins
    Total Time 27 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 344 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1/2 cup butter softened
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 1/3 cup flour
    • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt

    Lemon Glaze

    • 6 tablespoons butter melted
    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoons lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease tin and set aside.
    • In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat butter, sugar and honey. Add eggs.
    • In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
    • Gradually fold into in to wet mixture.
    • Fill tins 3/4 full and bake 17 minutes. 
    • Cool 15 minutes. Invert onto plates.

    Lemon Glaze

    • In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.

    Notes

    Substitutions

    • Butter – Salted or unsalted.
    • Powdered Sugar – If you don’t have any on hand, you can pulse granulated sugar in a food processor until fine. 
    • Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed or store bought in produce section.

    Tips

    • 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 can vary from oven to oven, so use the toothpick test to determine the optimal baking time for your oven.

    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 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. 

    Nutrition

    Calories:344kcalCarbohydrates:53gProtein:3gFat:14gSaturated Fat:9gCholesterol:63mgSodium:178mgPotassium:50mgFiber:1gSugar:42gVitamin A:451IUVitamin C:1mgCalcium:21mgIron:1mg
    5 from 5 votes
    Did you Make This Recipe?Mention @JulieBlanner

    *recipe adapted from Nordicware

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