Spiced Honey Loaf Cake
This old-fashioned spiced honey loaf cake is an incredibly moist and buttery tea cake that offers beautiful warming flavors and a delicate, fluffy texture. Perfect for afternoon tea, as a dessert, or sweet treat.
![A spiced honey loaf cake on a wooden board next to a Manuka tree sprig.](https://caroha.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/spiced-honey-loaf-cake-1-1024x683.jpg)
Why you’ll love my honey loaf cake recipe
- Quick and easy recipe: Fast and simple to prepare.
- Long shelf-life: Buttery, moist texture makes it last longer.
- Versatile: Great for breakfast, as a snack time, or dessert.
Ingredients
- Flour – All-purpose flour works well for this recipe. For a more wholesome result use 1/3 wholemeal flour.
- Butter – Unsalted or salted butter are both suitable but unsalted works best.
- Brown sugar – Brings sweetness and molasses flavor to the cake.
- Honey – Gives this cake its signature flavor. Clover and orange blossom are great options for this loaf cake.
- Eggs – Give body and richness to the recipe. Use eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla – Adds extra flavor and depth. Vanilla extract is best but you can also use vanilla essence.
- Baking powder – To leaven the cake.
- Milk – I use full-fat cow’s milk but you can substitute it with skinny or plant-based milk too.
- Icing sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar.
- Spices – Including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg bring warming flavors to the cake.
Variations
Citrus – Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the batter and/or 1/2 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the icing for a bright citrus flavor.
Dried fruit – Stir ½ cup of chopped dates into the batter before baking for a bit of texture and delicious date flavor.
Go nuts – Add 1/2 cup of walnut pieces or nut pieces of your liking for some extra texture and a nutty flavor. You can also add 2 tbsp of nut butter for a nutty taste.
FAQ
Place the loaf cake in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can freeze the cake in a freezer-proof container for up to 3 months.
Yes. You can reheat the cake but you’ll need to remove the icing first. Microwave it for up to 15 seconds and serve with cold icing.
![A spiced honey loaf cake on a wooden board. Honey drizzle is added with a honey spoon.](https://caroha.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/spiced-honey-loaf-cake-2-683x1024.jpg)
Related recipes
If you like this loaf cake, make sure to check out these easy cake recipes as well:
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Spiced Honey Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Honey Icing
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a loaf tin with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the softened butter, sugar, and honey until well combined. Add the egg and milk and mix them in one at a time.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup honey, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk
- Add all dry ingredients to a sieve and slowly add them to the wet mixture.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- Combine everything well until you have a lump-free cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and bake the honey loaf for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cool down for 15 minutes and transfer it to a cooling rack.
- To prepare the icing, combine the softened butter and powdered / icing sugar. Mix them well until you have smooth and lump-free icing.1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp butter, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Once the honey loaf cake has fully cooled down, add the icing to the top of the loaf with a large spoon or knife. Spread it evenly across the whole cake and add a honey drizzle. Enjoy!