Honey Cake with Sour Cream Frosting
Honey Cake with Sour Cream Frosting: nice, fluffy texture, moist with a hint of nutty flavor. The honey gives the cake sweetness; a delicious combination with sour cream frosting. This cake just hits ‘the spot’.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This cake recipe comes a long way. It’s a staple at our home. Before I got married, I used to bake it almost every Sunday for our church youth gathering. We always had youth at our house, whether those were my friends, my brothers’ friends or just simply 60-70 youth members :). This recipe never gets old and it’s never enough. Over the past decade, I made this cake around 200 times if not more; I could probably bake it in my sleep 🙂 . You can also add strawberries and kiwi between the layers – a delicious addition!
You can decorate the cake with any honey cake crumbs you got on hand from previous, recent baking, but I feel like the nutty-almond decoration gives that extra flavor and just blends in nicely with honey.
Choosing the Right Honey for Sponge Cake
When it comes to honey: As much as I love organic foods, organic honey doesn’t always work in baking when it comes to sponge cakes. Some honey brands come a bit on the watery side. A while back, when I ran out of honey that I always use in this cake, I tried substituting with Simple Truth brand and the cake layers turned out heavy and weren’t fluffy. They looked watery, as if you soaked the cake layers in bowl of water. At first I wasn’t sure what was happening to my cake and then it hit me: ‘honey’.
I have a little secret when it comes to finding out if certain honey will work for this cake. If you flip the bottle upside down and the honey comes out quickly out of the bottle, it will not work. Honey that comes out “lazy” from the bottle, like it’s barely coming out and you REALLY have to squeeze the bottle, that’s your winner. That is your friend!
Honey Cake Ingredients:
- 8 eggs – room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Sour Cream Frosting Ingredients and Decorating:
- 16 oz sour cream – cold
- 8 oz extra creamy cool whip – frozen
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup blanched almonds – toasted
How to Make Honey Cake:
1. Preheat the oven to a 350°F. Prepare a nonstick 9″ springform pan; oil or spray with a cooking spray and wipe all over with a paper towel (make sure to get the edges nicely). In a small bowl, microwave 4 tablespoons honey for 40-60 seconds until it starts bubbling and rising. As soon as you take out the honey from the microwave, sprinkle it with 1/4 tsp of baking soda and stir with a spoon until fluffy (it will rise). Set aside to cool while you prepare the next step.
2. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat 8 eggs and 1 cup sugar on high for 8-10 mins until eggs are light in color, thick and fluffy. Beat in honey/baking soda mixture on low for 30 seconds. Sift 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour in thirds into the batter, whisking gently by hand using a whisk or fork until flour is incorporated and no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure you don’t have lumps of flour hiding at the bottom. Do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter and the cake will turn out hard in texture. Divide batter equally into 3: 1 straight into springform pan and the remaining 2 portions in separate bowls. Bake 1 layer at a time for 13-15 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
3. Once cake is baked, use a thin spatula to loosen cake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim, flip cake, remove springform base, flip cake layer back and set aside to cool. Pam spray the pan again and pour the second batch. Repeat the same with 3rd. Let the cake cool before frosting. Do not stack the layers while they are still warm or they will lose their fluff. Cool completely before stacking and frosting.
How to Toast Almonds:
4. Single layer 1 cup blanched almonds onto a baking sheet. Bake in an oven at 350° F for 8-10 mins on center rack. Cool. In a food processor, crash almonds for 20-30 seconds until they turn into ground almonds. Use to decorate cake. Save remaining ground almonds in a Ziploc bag for future use.
How to Make Sour Cream Frosting:
5. Using an electric mixer, beat 16 oz sour cream, 8 oz cool whip, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract for 10 mins on high until frosting is thick and firm. Refrigerate until ready to use, but not for prolonged time or the cream might become slightly runny. Cut out a cake diameter carton circle. Wrap foil around carton.
Spread a teaspoon of frosting onto foil before you place a first cake layer – this will keep the cake from sliding off the carton. Place about 4 tablespoonful frosting between each cake layer and spread evenly (make sure to get edges). Frost sides as well so you don’t really see cake layers peeking through sour cream frosting. Decorate with toasted ground almonds or any other way you prefer. Refrigerate cake for several hours before cutting – it needs time to absorb the frosting and become moist to make the cutting easier. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!!
This cake is good in fridge for 3-4 days.
More Ukrainian Cake Recipes to Explore:
Honey Cake with Sour Cream Frosting
Ingredients
CAKE INGREDIENTS:
- 8 eggs – room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
FROSTING & DECORATION INGREDIENTS:
- 16 oz sour cream – cold
- 8 oz extra creamy cool whip – frozen
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup blanched almonds – toasted
Instructions
How to Make Honey Cake:
- Preheat the oven to a 350°F. Prepare a nonstick 9" springform pan; oil or spray with a cooking spray and wipe all over with a paper towel (make sure to get the edges nicely). In a small bowl, microwave 4 tablespoons honey for 40-60 seconds until it starts bubbling and rising. As soon as you take out the honey from the microwave, sprinkle it with 1/4 tsp of baking soda and stir with a spoon until fluffy (it will rise). Set aside to cool while you prepare the next step.
- In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat 8 eggs and 1 cup sugar on high for 8-10 mins until eggs are light in color, thick and fluffy. Beat in honey/baking soda mixture on low for 30 seconds. Sift 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour in thirds into the batter, whisking gently by hand using a whisk or fork until flour is incorporated and no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure you don’t have lumps of flour hiding at the bottom. Do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter and the cake will turn out hard in texture. Divide batter equally into 3: 1 straight into springform pan and the remaining 2 portions in separate bowls. Bake 1 layer at a time for 13-15 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Once cake is baked, use a thin spatula to loosen cake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim, flip cake, remove springform base, flip cake layer back and set aside to cool. Pam spray the pan again and pour the second batch. Repeat the same with 3rd. Let the cake cool before frosting. Do not stack the layers while they are still warm or they will lose their fluff. Cool completely before stacking and frosting.
- TOAST ALMONDS: Single layer 1 cup blanched almonds onto a baking sheet. Bake in an oven at 350° F for 8-10 mins on center rack. Cool. In a food processor, crash almonds for 20-30 seconds until they turn into ground almonds. Use to decorate cake. Save remaining ground almonds in a Ziploc bag for future use.
- MAKE THE FROSTING: Using an electric mixer, beat 16 oz sour cream, 8 oz cool whip, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract for 10 mins on high until frosting is thick and firm. Refrigerate until ready to use, but not for prolonged time or the cream might become slightly runny. Cut out a cake diameter carton circle. Wrap foil around carton. Spread a teaspoon of frosting onto foil before you place a first cake layer – this will keep the cake from sliding off the carton. Place about 4 tablespoonful frosting between each cake layer and spread evenly (make sure to get edges). Frost sides as well so you don’t really see cake layers peeking through sour cream frosting. Decorate with toasted ground almonds or any other way you prefer. Refrigerate cake for several hours before cutting – it needs time to absorb the frosting and become moist to make the cutting easier. This cake is good in fridge for 3-4 days.
megan says:
I made this recipe last weekend it was so delicious my family and friends are requesting for me to bake it again this weekend since is my husband birthday. Thanks for the recipe.
Cody says:
Hi
I made this cake last night and followed the directions perfectly after frosting it, I put it inside a cake storage container and placed it in the fridge. I got it out and tried it out this morning and it is much drier than it was last night. Last night it was perfect, light and fluffy like you said it should be.
Any ideas on what happened?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Did you give enough frosting between the layers? Sponge cakes need a bit extra to get moist so they don’t taste dry. When sponge cake is baked at first, it is fluffy and soft, but when you refrigerate it, it cools, so it’s important to be generous with frosting between the layers. The little frosting isn’t enough to moisten the thick sponge layers. Also, all baked desserts become harder after refrigerated and soften again once taken to room temperature when served. However, if you add good amount of frosting between the layers, even refrigerated it will be soft.
Cody says:
Thanks for your response I was worried about the amount of frosting I added in between layers. Now I’m certain that was the cause.
Molly says:
I made this to honor Ukraine for a dinner party, and it is delicious. But my layers didn’t rise like the photo and the cake was dense requiring a knife to cut. I think I followed the recipe perfectly. What went wrong? Did letting the remaining two batches sit out while waiting to bake them cause them to fail? I baked until golden brown and checked with a tooth pick. They didn’t rise in the pan. Could I separate the eggs and whip the whites and then fold in. Was the cream mixture too dense to soak in? Won’t try it again without solutions.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Hi Molly! My cake layers on the photo might look higher due to different size pan, many times different brands of eggs would turn out more fluffy once beaten even though they are all large. There are many reasons why the cake layers could be dense: under-mixing, baking soda needs to be fresh and active, even the type of honey could affect the outcome slightly. I have used different brands of honey, and some would make the layers less fluffy, but more moist looking. But, I would say under-mixing the eggs would be my first thought. Mixing is very important in incorporating lots of air so that the layers turn out light and fluffy. Depends what kind of mixer you are using, you are looking for light, fluffy and light in color beaten eggs. Letting remaining 2 layers sit while first one bakes would not make the cake dense. The sour cream frosting (whether more runny or thicker) would not be an issue either. I have made this cake like hundred times for past about 15 years and I would say having the right texture in beaten eggs is the key in here. Hope this helps! 🙂
Bea says:
I love honey cake & this is a delicious recipe. I just made mine in 3 regular cake tins so I could bake them all at once. It works out great with the 8 or 9 inch tins..I use my own sour cream frosting recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you for sharing that with us, Bea! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
Kory says:
Hi there!
I normally make my cakes a day before I need them that way they’re already cool to decorate the day of. Can I make these cakes the day before or will they go dry?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You can bake the cake and decorate next day, just make sure you wrap the layers with plastic food wrap so they don’t dry. For best results, you want to frost the cake a day in advance before serving so that the layers absorb the frosting and soften.
Hallie says:
Hi Olga,
I’d love to make this cake but don’t have a 9-inch springform. Can I bake the layers in 7-inch pans that have a removable bottom? And since I have multiple Can I cook them at the same time?
Thanks so much!!
Hallie
Olga in the Kitchen says:
HI Hallie! You can definitely use a smaller pan size, just make sure to check the center of cake with a toothpick before pulling out, to make sure it’s fully cooked (depends on the amount of batter you’ll be adding into smaller pan). From personal experience, I would recommend baking each layer separately for best results. If you have more than 1 form, you can divide the batter among them and just bake each layer right after another.
Janine S. says:
Made this cake couple days ago again. It’s brilliant. I added fresh raspberries this time between the layers and it gave a nice tang to it. Will definitely make this cake again. It’s so easy and so good. Thank you.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you for sharing that with us, Janine! Sounds like you found a new favorite 🙂
Marianne Borg-Hansen says:
Lovely recipe for Medovik. I was posted to Moscow in the ‘80s and Kyiv from 2009 to 2013 and have tried many versions. This is with a softer batter than the one I use. This seems easier to make. I’m from Denmark and we don’t have Cool Whip here. Can I just increase the amount of sour cream (we have sour cream with 38% butterfat- like whipping cream) and sugar?
Дякую. Marianne
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You can substitute the cool whip for same amount of heavy cream (preferably with at least 30% fat). The frosting will be slightly thinner, but it will be the closest substitution to cool whip. More sour cream will make the frosting more tangy. Hope this helps!
Hana says:
Hi Olga! I love the simplicity of the cake ingredients here. I’ve been looking for a cake layer recipe that doesn’t make me think I’ll need to take a nap after eating it.
Question – could I bake this in three 8-inch pans as opposed to the 9-inch springform pan?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You made me laugh about the nap lol You can definitely make it in 8″ pan. Just make sure to poke the cake in the center with wooden toothpick to make sure it’s cooked, before you take it out.
Lucy says:
Hi! this looks amazing! I like honey cake!
Thanks and love your site 🙂
Olga in the Kitchen says:
That’s awesome, Lucy!
serena m. says:
We love your honey cake recipe so much, we decided to make it for Easter as well. The texture of this cake is amazing, so fluffy and I was surprised how easy it is, the complete process.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you for the wonderful review, Serena! Happy Easter to you and your family!