Whole Wheat Honey Cake
Updated Jun 24, 2024
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Healthy Whole Wheat Honey Cake is just what the real food lover in your life wants you to make for their birthday. It’s light, sweet, and perfect with a little whipped cream!
This cake comes from the King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking cookbook. A million years ago my mom picked it up from the library, told me how much she loved it, I proceeded to get it from the library where I was, and we both fell in love. It’s a whopping 500 page whole grain baking bible if you ask me.
This cake is perfect for a light dessert or snack. It’s considered a snack cake, meaning it’s not fancy or fluffy or full of icing. It’s sweet and has the texture of a quick bread. The honey is just right and the almonds on top make it look just beautiful (you bake them right into the cake). The outside that was a little crusty was my favorite.
You can serve this cake with a few fresh berries and freshly whipped cream or you could give it a sprinkle of powdered sugar on the top and serve it with ice cream.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The honey provides a rich sweetness, moist texture, and golden color, enhancing the nutty flavor of the whole wheat.
- It is made with whole wheat flour, this cake offers a heartier texture and increased nutritional value, making it a healthier indulgence.
- The recipe is easy to follow and adaptable, perfect for both casual and formal occasions.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sliced almonds
- Whole wheat flour (pastry or traditional)
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Honey
- Eggs
- Sour cream or plain yogurt
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Whole Wheat Honey Cake
Step #1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Add ¾ cup of sliced almonds to the bottom of the cake pan and evenly distribute. Cream the butter and the honey until light and fluffy.
Step #2. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.
Step #3. Add the sour cream, and stir to combine.
Step #4. In a small bowl, add whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add the remaining ¼ cup of sliced almonds and stir until incorporated.
Step #5. Add the batter to the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes until golden brown and the edges start to separate from the pan. Remove cake from the oven and allow it to rest in the pan, on a wire rack, for 15 minutes.
Step #6. After it has rested, invert the cake to a serving dish and allow it to come to room temperature. Serve with a light dusting of powdered sugar, or freshly whipped cream and berries.
Recipe FAQs
It’s a bit hard to tell when this cake is done because it’s going to be pretty dark when it’s cooked. Don’t over bake though or it will be dry.
Adding sour cream helps to keep the cake moist.
You can use either ingredient in this recipe. Make sure you use plain yogurt if you go that route though.
Serving Suggestions
This cake is delicious standing alone. If you want to add something to it, serve this cake with a scoop Homemade Cake Batter Ice Cream. Extra honey drizzled over the cake just before serving can amplify the honey flavor and add a lovely shine .A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream can add a creamy texture that pairs well with the density of the cake.
Expert Tips
- Different honeys affect flavor depth; opt for lighter honeys for subtle sweetness or darker varieties for a richer taste.
- Avoid a dense cake by spooning and leveling the whole wheat flour instead of scooping it.
- Mix the batter just until combined to prevent gluten overdevelopment and ensure a tender cake.
- To avoid a dry cake, check for doneness early and remove from the oven as soon as it’s ready.
- Resting the batter for 30 minutes before baking can soften the grains and improve the cake’s texture.
More Cake Recipes To Consider
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Whole Wheat Honey Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, pastry or traditional
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup honey
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter or a heavy hand of cooking spray. Add ¾ cup of sliced almonds to the bottom of the cake pan and evenly distribute.
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter and the honey until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Add the sour cream, and stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, add whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add the remaining ¼ cup of sliced almonds and stir until incorporated. The batter will be thick.
- Add the batter to the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes until golden brown and the edges start to separate from the pan, and a toothpick, inserted into the center, comes out clean.
- Remove cake from the oven and allow it to rest in the pan, on a wire rack, for 15 minutes. After it has rested, invert the cake to a serving dish and allow it to come to room temperature. Serve with a light dusting of powdered sugar, or freshly whipped cream and berries.
Notes
- It’s a bit hard to tell when this cake is done because it’s going to be pretty dark when it’s cooked. Don’t over bake though or it will be dry.
- Honey can be sticky and tricky to measure. Lightly greasing your measuring cup with oil or using a cooking spray can make it easier to pour out and ensure you’re using the exact amount needed without waste.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. This helps the structure set without the cake becoming soggy from condensing steam if left to cool completely in the pan.
can i skip the white flour and use only whole wheat flour? thanks
It’ll be a lot more dense but you for sure could try it!
This is fantastic! Even my chocolate-only husband loved it. Served w a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Excellent!?
its been 10 days since I found ykuour website and ive already made 7 recipes ^_^
o fare theyve ll been great!
Your recipes are all very awesome so mustve done something wrong with this one. The cqke barely rose and even fell again after I turned off the over so it was very dense and heavy 🙁
What do you thi k I did wtong? Plus are your temperatures in celcius or Fahrenheit
I’m so glad that you have making so many recipes! I’m sorry to hear about the honey cake not rising at all. What elevation are baking at? And do you know if your baking soda was fresh? I’d love to help you figure it out!
He was scared…this was made with honey, not sugar, and wasn’t coated with frosting…..Bravely he took a bite, then two, then three….SCORE!! While baking, the batter decided to crawl out of the pan and drip around in blobs…. I think my high elevation and the amount of baking soda was an explosive combination…..or the alfalfa honey bloomed…dunno….and I really liked it too! Thanks!!
this cake looks gorgeous! I can’t wait to try it!