This Honey Vanilla Cake recipe is 3 delicious honey flavored sponges layered with homemade vanilla whipped cream! It's so easy to whip up in less than an hour, and it's the perfect size for small gatherings. Top it with fresh fruit and it's the best sweet treat in the summer!
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This post was originally published on May 26, 2021 and updated on June 3, 2022.
Have you ever sweetened a cake using honey? I can't believe it's taken me this long to try it! This simple layer cake has a subtle honey flavor that pairs so well with the light and refreshing whipped cream!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- It's an incredibly simple layer cake that doesn't require any freezing or crumb coating!
- The honey flavor is delicate and delicious in every bite!
- This delicious honey cake is layered with lightly sweetened whipped cream and topped with natural berries, so the whole cake isn't overly sweet.
- If you prefer individual cakes for all, it can be made into honey vanilla cupcakes as well!
- It's less sweet but just as delicious as my Almond Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting!
- It uses basic ingredients - no cake flour needed!
- This cake is so good topped with fresh summer fruit. If you have extra fruit leftover, you should try my fruit pizza cookies!
Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Honey: I recommend using a local variety of honey to really hone in on specific flavor notes!
- Granulated sugar
- Buttermilk
- Sour cream
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- For a sweeter cake, try using a vanilla buttercream frosting or a cream cheese frosting.
- Make it a honey almond cake by replacing the vanilla extract with ¼ teaspoon of almond extract and sprinkling with sliced and/or ground almonds!
- Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the butter and sugar while making the batter for a citrusy flavor!
- Next time, turn the cake into 18 cupcakes! Use a large ice cream scoop to top them with whipped cream and then add summer berries and honey on the tops.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Equipment
You'll only need some basic baking tools to make this vanilla honey cake recipe!
- 3 6-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper rounds (or cut your own from a roll)
- An electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- A cooling rack
Step by Step Instructions
Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare your pans by lightly coating them with a non-stick spray and pressing a piece of parchment paper inside just so it covers the bottoms.
Step 1: Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the honey, eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream.
Step 2: Whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt - in a small bowl.
Step 3: Alternately fold a third of the flour mixture and buttermilk at a time into the wet ingredients just until everything is combined.
Step 4: Evenly distribute the cake batter across the prepared pans and bake, all on the middle oven rack, until a toothpick comes out clean (about 25 minutes). Let the cakes cool in the pans and then carefully flip them out, peel the parchment off, and place them on a wire rack.
Step 5: While the cakes are cooling, make the whipped cream. In a medium bowl, whisk the heavy cream until it thickens, add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and continue whisking until it reaches stiff peaks. This is easiest and quickest using a mixer but can be done by hand!
Step 6: Assemble the cake by spreading whipped cream on the completely cool cake layers with an offset spatula. Garnish with your favorite fruits, edible flowers and extra honey!
Expert Tips
- Use local honey! Did you know raw honey looks and tastes different depending on where it's from? Its flavor can range from citrusy to floral based on the pollen in the area. If you make this cake using locally sourced honey, it'll bring out the flavor profile of that specific honey. I like to decorate this cake to match the honey's taste. I used honey with floral notes in this cake, so I topped it with edible flowers! It also pairs extremely well with fresh berries!
- Make sure the cakes have cooled to room temperature before frosting. If you add the whipped cream while the cakes are even still slightly warm, the cream can melt and then you'll have a droopy cake. It's also important not to keep the assembled cake in heat for very long.
- Use a scale to weigh your flour. It tends to get packed into measuring cups, so this is the best way to ensure an accurate measurement and a fluffy, moist cake. Grams can be found by switching over to "Metric" in the recipe card below.
Recipe FAQs
While you can definitely taste the honey in the cake layers, it isn't a super strong flavor.
Sure you can! Microwave it for a few seconds until it's liquidized and then measure it out.
Storage
Room Temperature: The cake layers can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for a couple of days before assembling the honey vanilla cake.
Refrigerator: The whipped cream and assembled cake should be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions: Individually wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, let the cakes thaw at room temperature and make the whipped cream.
📖 Recipe
Simple Honey Vanilla Layer Cake
Equipment
- (3) 6-inch round cake pans
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups/scale
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment (recommended)
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Honey Cake
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) (169 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (6 tablespoons) honey
- 2 large (2 large) eggs room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream room temperature
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon (1½ teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) buttermilk room temperature
*see notes below to make your own
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups (473.18 ml) heavy whipping cream cold
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
Honey Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with round sheets of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and creamy (about 2 minutes). One at a time: stir in the honey, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream (mixing after each addition).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly mix ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, followed by ⅓ of the buttermilk. Repeat until all of the dry ingredients and buttermilk are incorporated into the batter. Be careful not to overmix - stop stirring as soon as everything is combined.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter into the 3 cake pans and smooth the tops out as much as possible with a spatula.
- Bake all 3 cakes on the middle shelf for 23-29 minutes. You may want to rotate the pans halfway through if they aren't baking evenly. They're done when the tops are light brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 30 minutes and then carefully flip them onto a wire rack to finish cooling. While they're cooling, make the whipped cream.
Whipped Cream
- Whisk the heavy whipping cream vigorously until they've reached soft peaks (thick enough to hold together but droop when you lift the whisk). Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, and continue whisking to stiff peaks (thick enough to hold together and remain stable when you lift the whisk).
Assemble the Cake
- Alternately layer the honey cakes with the whipped cream.
- Decorate the cake however you'd like or leave it plain. I recommend adding a bit of fresh fruit!
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Breanna says
Delicious! Made this recipe for my daughter's smash cake and the guest cake. Super easy and yummy! Will be using this again in the future.
Sue says
This recipe looks amazing and I am considering using it for a wedding cake where the couple have asked for a vanilla and honey cake. I would need 3 x 12 inch and 4 x 10 inch. How many times do you think I should multiply the recipe?
Kayla Burton says
Hi Sue! I am so sorry but I don't have experience with wedding cakes. Here's a great post about cake conversions: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/cake-pan-sizes/. I hope it helps!
Bill says
Thank you for sharing this terrific recipe. I love this recipe and invested in three 6-inch cake pans just so I could make it. Only thing I do different is substitute a mixture of 1½ tablespoon of softened butter and ½ cup plain homemade yogurt for the sour cream since I usually don't keep sour cream in the refrigerator. I like to also frost the sides of the cake with whipped cream. It's great with fresh fruit on top. You do need to refrigerate the cake because of the whipped cream frosting. Thanks again.
Ana says
So delicious! I made these as cupcakes and honestly found them so hard to stop eating. The cupcakes have a lovely flavor and crumb. Thanks for the great recipe, Kayla!
Kayla says
I'm happy you enjoyed them! They looked so pretty, thanks again for making and sharing on IG and TT!!
Christina says
Hi 🙂
Will this recipe hold up to become a decorated layer cake?
Kayla says
Hi Christina! I don't have much experience with decorated layer cakes but I have seen a reader make and frost the entire cake successfully so I think it should hold up 🙂 I'd love to hear about it if you try it!
Julien B says
Made this recipe for my son's birthday party. Multiplied the recipe by 1.5 for two 8" round pans. I had to double the baking time.
I frosted this with Leite's cream cheese frosting, added red food coloring at the birthday boy's request, and topped with strawberries and kiwi. For the honey in the recipe, I used Costco's very flavorful dark honey "Kirkland Signature Washington Raw Unfiltered Honey". The frosting in the recipe (link below) was the perfect amount for the two layer cake, including sides and middle layer.
Guests really enjoyed the cake, multiple compliments. I definitely recommend.
Leite's frosting:
https://leitesculinaria.com/237410/recipes-cream-cheese-frosting.html
Honey:
https://www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Signature-Washington-Unfiltered-Honey/dp/B07PMFJGN2
Pictures of the cake:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNf-jP1oQMvPOsy0eqAk5b5-YKJFQC_KlJ1Rj7FyqjvQW5fr5i2j27Nu3pbvCeXAQ?key=R3AwSW5DRWE2YUx5U3FhRlFyZkcxQ3laRzZoZ0ln
Kayla says
Thank you very much for sharing, Julien! I'm so happy this cake was a hit, the frosting and strawberry kiwi addition looks so good!! I hope the birthday boy had an amazing time celebrating 🙂
Melody Pratt says
I doubled the recipe and it made 2 delicious 9" rounds and 1 8" round perfect amount! My hubby and I saved the 8" for us and it was amazing! Taking the 9" layers to granddaughters birthday party will top with the whip cream, strawberries and blueberries! It had more of a corn bread consistency, is this the way it's supposed to be? Reminded me of home made shortcake. Delicious!
Kayla says
Hi Melody! I'm so happy to hear that doubling the recipe worked out for the cake and you liked it! Thank you for trying it and sharing this info! I hope your granddaughter enjoys it & has a wonderful birthday 🥳 Yes that's a good way to describe it, like a cornbread cake ☺️
Melody says
Thank you for answering me! Can I use 2 9" cake pans? Would there be enough batter? Want to make this for my granddaughters 2nd birthday!
Kayla says
You're welcome! If you double the recipe you should have enough for two 9" rounds with some leftover batter. It might even be enough for three 9" pans. I hope this helps!
Melody says
Can I use this to make a 9×13 layer cake or sheet cake?
Kayla says
Hi Melody! I haven't tested anything other than the 6 inch rounds and cupcakes, but I'm not sure it'd be quite enough to fill a 9x13. I think a 10 inch square pan would work, or if you have an 8 or 9 inch square pan, one you could use leftover batter to make a few cupcakes!
Luzmaria Diaz says
Oh lord, this recipe is amazing!! I rarely trust American cakes, because they are so dry and depend on American buttercream. I used this recipe for cupcakes and it yielded the fluffiest, tastiest, moist, and delicious cupcakes! I do not regret ever coming across this recipe! Y’all need to try it! I made them for Father’s Day and some birthdays and they were gone in a flash! My uncle that only eats once a day took 3 cupcakes! You will not regret this recipe!
Kayla says
Ah thank you, Luzmaria! It makes me so happy that you and your family loved them so much!!