Mama's Honey Cake Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; grease the parchment.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger until evenly combined. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or using a large bowl and hand mixer), beat the softened unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and packed brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

Add eggs and vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until incorporated.

Incorporate honey and milk

With the mixer on low, stream in the 3/4 cup pure honey until blended. Add the milk and mix until combined.

Combine wet and dry

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredient mixture in three additions, mixing just until combined after each addition. Do not overmix; scrape the bowl and finish folding by hand if necessary to ensure an even batter.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter) and the top is golden brown.

Cool

Set the cake on a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto the rack, remove the parchment, then invert again to cool right side up. Let cool 15–20 minutes before glazing so the glaze soaks in slightly but doesn’t run off completely.

While the cake cools for the last 10–15 minutes, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Warm gently, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and slightly thinned, about 2–3 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

Brush or spoon the warm glaze evenly over the top of the warm cake. For extra honey flavor, spoon any remaining glaze around the sides. Allow the cake to sit 10–15 minutes so the glaze soaks in and forms a glossy finish.

If using, sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over the glazed top and scatter fresh thyme or mint leaves for a fragrant, decorative touch. Let the cake rest at room temperature for another 15–20 minutes so flavors meld.

Slice with a sharp knife (wipe blade between cuts for clean slices) and serve. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat gently before serving if desired.