Honey Cake (Bakery Style)
Honey cake recipe with step by step pics. Honey cake is a well known dessert made famous by the South Indian bakeries, especially Iyengar bakery. This super delicious honey cake is made from whole wheat flour (atta), unrefined cane sugar and uses less oil. Thus, this one is a bit healthier too as compared to its counterparts.
For the cake, I have made a sponge cake with whole wheat flour and the crumb is soft and light. After tasting this cake, it becomes difficult to guess the sponge cake is made from whole wheat flavor.
Baking soda is the only leavening ingredient used in the recipe. So there will be a slight aroma of the baking soda in this cake.
There are 2 glazes made for the honey cake
- Honey glaze – as per ayurveda, honey should never be heated. When honey is heated it becomes toxic. Thus for this eggless cake recipe I have not heated honey. I have diluted the honey with some rose water. You can even use drinking water or juices like apple, mango or orange.
- Jam glaze – for the jam glaze, I have used strawberry jam. You can even use mango jam or rose jam (gulkand) or any fruit jam of your liking. Top the Honey Cake with any jam glaze and desiccated coconut, and enjoy the flavors.
Honey cake recipe made without eggs was requested by a few readers and hence sharing the recipe. This is a lovely egg free honey cake recipe and your family and friends will love this cake. That much I can assure you.
In fact, it is quite addictive. So, you’ll have to keep baking it once a while. You really don’t have to wait to visit the bakery and then relish the cake, as this is going to be your go-to recipe to make it at home.
If you are a vegan, then skip adding honey glaze in the recipe. Just top the cake with your favorite jam glaze and desiccated coconut. The cake will still taste delicious.
Honey cake can be served as an evening sweet dessert or as a dessert after meals.
If you enjoy soft, moist cakes with bakery-style charm, here are a few more eggless bakes you might like:
- Butter Cake – Simple, rich and buttery with a soft crumb.
- Vanilla Cake – Light, fluffy, and full of classic vanilla flavor.
- Pound Cake – Dense, buttery, and perfect with tea or coffee.
- Carrot Cake – Gently spiced and made with whole wheat flour.
- Banana Cake – A comforting cake made with ripe bananas.
- Mawa Cake – An Irani bakery-style treat with a rich crumb and hint of cardamom.
How to make Honey Cake
Making sponge cake:
A) sifting dry ingredients:
1. Grease a 6×6 inches pan with some oil. You can also use a round pan or a loaf pan. Also preheat oven at 180 degrees celsius/356 degrees fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
For OTG as well as convection ovens, you can use the temperature of 180 degrees celsius both for preheating as well as baking.
2. Take 1.25 cups of whole wheat flour (150 grams) in a sieve.
3. Add ½ teaspoon baking soda. This much amount of baking soda makes the cake soft, but there will be a slight aroma of it. If you do not prefer the aroma, then add ⅓ teaspoon of baking soda.
Since baking soda is the only leavening ingredient used in the recipe, do make sure that is fresh and active. Just dissolve two pinches of baking soda in a bit of water and vinegar solution and it should fizz and bubble immediately. If not then the baking soda is not active and fresh.
4. Add 1 pinch salt.
5. Sift the dry ingredients and keep aside.
B) mixing wet ingredients:
6. In a bowl take 1 cup cold water. The water has to be cold or chilled.
7. Add ½ cup sugar (90 to 100 grams sugar). I have used organic unrefined cane sugar and it has a brown color. It is not brown sugar. You can easily use white sugar or brown sugar.
8. With a whisk mix very well till all the sugar is dissolved.
9. Then add ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence.
10. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or lime juice or vinegar. For vinegar you can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
11. Mix well.
12. Add ¼ cup sunflower oil. If using any other oil, then use a neutral tasting oil. You can also use olive oil.
13. Mix very well.
Making cake batter
14. Now add the wet ingredients to the sifted dry ingredients.
15. With a wired whisk and with light pressure from your hands, begin to mix.
16. Mix to a smooth batter. Small tiny lumps are fine. Do not over mix the batter.
17. Pour the eggless cake batter in the cake pan.
18. Gently tap and shake the sides so that the cake batter spreads evenly in the pan.
19. Place the pan in the preheated oven for 180 degrees celsius. If using OTG then use both the top and bottom heating elements on (toast mode in the Indian OTGs) and keep pan in the center rack.
20. Bake the cake for 30 to 40 minutes till the top is golden. Time varies from oven to oven, so it can take less or more time than 30 to 40 minutes. In the OTG which I have it took 35 minutes.
21. Check the egg free sponge cake with a skewer and it should come out clean.
22. Place the cake pan on a metal rack and let the cake become warm.
23. When the cake becomes warm or cools, remove it from the pan and keep on a wooden board or a chopping board or a large plate or tray.
24. Place the cake upright. Then with a skewer poke holes in the cake all over. Keep aside. For a neat presentable cake, you can slice off a thin layer of the top and the sides of the cake.
Making honey glaze
25. In a small bowl, take 3 tablespoons of honey.
26. Add 1 tablespoon of rose water or drinking water. Instead of water you can also use a fruit juice like apple juice, mango juice or orange juice. But do note that some flavor of the fruit juice will be felt in the cake.
27. Mix very well with a spoon. The rose water should get mixed evenly with the honey. Keep aside.
Making jam glaze
28. Take 3 tablespoons of strawberry jam in a pan. You can also use rose jam (gulkand) or mango jam or any fruit jam of your liking.
29. Add 2 teaspoons sugar.
30. Add 2 tablespoons of water.
31. Keep the pan on stove top and lit the gas stove on a low flame. Mix very well and begin to heat this jam glaze mixture.
32. Break the lumps of jam and mix it with the water. Stir often.
33. stir and mix to a smooth jam mixture.
34. Let the jam glaze come to a boil and then switch off the flame. Remove the pan from the stovetop and keep it aside. Let the jam mixture become lukewarm.
Making honey cake
35. Spread the honey glaze all over the cake with a spoon or spatula.
36. Spread honey evenly and all over. Also, spread it on the sides of the cake.
37. Optional step is to slice the cake before spreading the jam glaze. Or else you can slice the cake later.
38. Spread the lukewarm jam glaze all over with a spoon or spatula. Also spread on the sides.
39. Now sprinkle desiccated coconut all over the honey cake. Optionally the desiccated coconut can also be spread at the sides.
40. Gently press desiccated coconut with a spoon or butter knife, so that it sticks to the jam glaze.
41. Let the jam glaze set (about 15 to 20 minutes) and then you can Serve slices of honey cake. Leftover remaining cake slices can be refrigerated and stays good for about a week.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
for sponge cake
- 1.25 cups whole wheat flour or 150 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup cold water
- ½ cup sugar or 90 to 100 grams sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice or vinegar – apple cider or white vinegar
- ¼ cup sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil
for honey glaze
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoons rose water or drinking water
for jam glaze
- 3 tablespoons strawberry jam or rose jam (gulkand) or mango jam or any fruit jam
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
other ingredients
- ⅓ cup desiccated coconut, unsweetened
Instructions
making sponge cake
a) sifting dry ingredients
- Grease a 6×6 inches pan with some oil. You can also use a round pan or a loaf pan.
- Preheat oven at 180 degrees celsius for 15 minutes. For otg as well as convection ovens, you can use the temperature of 180 degrees celsius, both for preheating as well as baking.
- Take 1.25 cups whole wheat flour (150 grams) in a seive.
- Add ½ teaspoon baking soda and 1 pinch salt.
- Sift the dry ingredients and keep aside.
b) mixing wet ingredients for cake
- In a bowl take 1 cup cold water. The water has to be cold or chilled.
- Add ½ cups sugar (85 grams sugar). with a whisk mix very well till all the sugar is dissolved.
- Then add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice or vinegar. mix well.
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice or vinegar. For the vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Then add ¼ cup sunflower oil. Mix very well.
c) making cake batter
- Now add the wet ingredients to the sifted dry ingredients.
- With a wired whisk and with light pressure from your hands, begin to mix.
- Mix to a smooth batter. Small tiny lumps are fine. Do not over mix the batter.
- Pour the eggless cake batter in the cake pan. gently tap and shake the sides so as to even the batter in the pan.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven for 180 degrees celsius. If using otg then use both the top and bottom heating elements on (toast mode in the indian otgs).
- Bake the cake for 30 to 40 minutes till the top is golden. Time varies from oven to oven, so it can take less or more time than 30 to 40 minutes.
- Check cake with a skewer and it should come out clean.
- Place the cake pan on a metal rack and let it become warm.
- When the cake becomes warm or cools, remove it from the pan and keep on a wooden board or a chopping board or a large plate or tray. Then place it upright.
- Then with a skewer poke holes in the cake all over. Keep aside.
making honey glaze for honey cake
- In a small bowl, take 3 tablespoons honey.
- Add 1 tablespoon rose water or drinking water. Instead of water you can also use a fruit juice like apple juice, mango juice or orange juice. But do note that some flavor of the fruit juice will be felt in the cake.
- Mix very well with a spoon. The rose water should get mixed evenly with the honey. Keep aside.
making jam glaze
- Take 3 tablespoons strawberry jam in a pan. You can also use rose jam (gulkand) or mango jam or any fruit jam.
- Add 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water.
- Keep the pan on stove top and lit the gas stove on a low flame. Mix very well and begin to heat this jam glaze mixture.
- Break the lumps of jam and mix it with the water. Stir often. stir and mix to a smooth jam mixture.
- Let the jam glaze come to a boil and then switch off flame. Remove the pan from the stove top and keep aside. Let the jam mixture become lukewarm.
making honey cake
- Spread the honey glaze all over the cake with a spoon or spatula.
- Spread honey evenly and all over. Also spread it on the sides of the cake.
- Optional step is to slice the cake before spreading the lukewarm jam glaze. Or else you can slice the honey cake later.
- Spread lukewarm jam glaze all over with a spoon or spatula. Also spread on the sides.
- Now sprinkle desiccated coconut all over the honey cake. Optionally the desiccated coconut can also be spread at the sides.
- Gently press desiccated coconut with a spoon or butter knife, so that it sticks to the jam glaze.
- Let the jam glaze set (about 15 to 20 minutes) and then you can serve slices of honey cake. Leftover remaining slices can be refrigerated. They stay well in the fridge for about a week.
Nutrition
This Honey Cake post from the archives, originally published in December 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
Gorgeous moist cake. Quick and easy to make. Family loved it ?
Lovely and thanks for sharing this feedback. Glad to know.
Can i replace oil with butter in your recipe?
And also can i add 1tsp baking powder too in addition to 1/2tsp baking soda?
I want to try your recipe for my daughter’s birthaday day after tomorrow…
Yes you can use butter, but then use a wired whisk for mixing the butter with water as the cold water will solidify the butter when you add it. Don’t add baking powder as ½ teaspoon baking soda is apt for the cake. Happy Baking!
awesome !! i really liked this recipe . my cake turned out very well . thank you for this recipe !!
Thanks for the feedback and nice to know. Welcome.
I made this recipe this morning and it was delicious. The cake itself was so fluffy and light and the rose honey went great with it. I can’t say this tasted like the iyengar bakery honey cakes but it is definitely a recipe I’d make again. I love it.
Thank you Sushma for the feedback. Glad to know. In fact last year when I went to bangalore, I did make a trip to the Iyengar bakery and did taste the honey cake as well as masala buns from there. And yes I did find theirs flavored with too much of aromatic ingredients.
I have made it twice now already! Such an easy and delicious cake!
Looking to make my 3rd batch and I was wondering if I could replace oil with applesauce. Would it work? If so, can I substitute it 1 for 1? Would you be able to advise me?
Thank you 🙂
Nice to know. Yes, applesauce works like a charm in cake recipes. So you could add ½ cup of applesauce for 1.25 cups of flour. So just water accordingly till you get a medium consistency cake batter.
Thanks for the recipie. I made it today. Everything seemed perfect ..the cake was ready by 45 mins and when I pricked with knife nothing was sticking to it. After putting honey glaze and allowing jam glaze to set, honey looked to have seeped through the cake. But while eating the cake, it did not give a crumbly feel. Rather it seemed to have got too wet and was tasting as if it needed to bake more. It was feeling kind of under-cooked. Is that normal?
welcome. from your comment looks like the cake did not have a porous & soft texture. since only baking soda is the leavening ingredient used here, it has to be fresh and active. so that the cakes gets a good soft crumb. in the absence of a fresh baking soda, the cake won’t have any lightness and porousness in it. the knife came up clean as the cake has got baked but the texture must have been more like a steamed pudding and this the feeling of an undercooked taste. whenever cake recipes use only one leavening ingredient like baking soda or baking powder, they should be under their shelf period. to check the freshness, dissolve 1/4th teaspoon of baking soda in 2 to 3 teaspoons vinegar + 2 to 3 teaspoons water solution. it should fizz and bubble immediately. hope this helps.
Hi Dasana & Amit,
Great work. Keep it up.
I tried two of your eggless cakes and both times, it’s wet in the middle, didn’t bake properly. I use the exact quantities and even baked a little longer than you recommend. Ia there something I’m missing?
Thanks and regards
Zeeshan
zeeshan, could be two things. first is a possibility of a low oven temperature and thus the baking is taking a long time. sometimes we set a particular temperature but the oven bakes at an altogether different temperature. so there is a way to check this and its called calibrate oven. there are some thermometers also available through which you can check the actual oven temperature. google will give more info on both these topics. i had such an issue and the OTG was baking at a very low temperature. called the company person and got it corrected and the OTG is working fine now.
second reason could be over mixing of the batter. if the batter gets mixed too much, gluten strands form in it. so mix lightly. hope this helps.
Superb recipe. Turned out really well.
thank nisha for the review and the feedback on honey cake.
I tried this today and turned out yummy. I used maida instead of atta and did not use any glazing. I will add little more sugar next time though.
Thanks Shanti for sharing this info.
Hi Dassana, A very very Happy New Year to you and your family! May the new year bring you loads of happiness and success.
This honey cake looks super delish. Beautiful photos. I wish I could grab some from the screen.Hee hee. I’m gonna try this verysoon. For a round pan what size would you recommend?
thank you radhika and wish you the same. hope you and your family have a happy, joyful and prosperous new year.
for the round pan size, you can use a 6 to 6.5 inches pan.
Hi Dassana i made this today and its amazing! Anyone can bake but i like that you make the extra effort to make it healthy but using whole wheat flour and eggless. I am pretty sure that i wouldn’t have started baking if i hadnt come across your site ????. By the way in your orange cake can i replace arrowroot powder for corn starch? Thanks a lot once again
thank you anjana ????. i do try to include whole wheat flour wherever possible. at times depending on the recipe, whole wheat does not work.
for the orange cake you can use arrowroot powder.
Wow Dassana…. Thank u so much for this….will bake soon.. Can the cake batter b doubled??? Mine is bit big tray…if not will try in cup cake moulds…kindly suggest me whether stand mixer is useful in attha kneading…is it helpful…n airfryier how u feel using …is it good???kindly pour ur suggestions…m planning to buy
welcome shubha. sure, do try and let me know. yes you can double the recipe and you can also make in cup cake moulds. initially i wanted to bake in ramekins or cupcake moulds, but then i baked in a pan.
stand mixer is very good for atta kneading. i knead large quantity of atta in the stand mixer and keep it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. so its easy making parathas and chapatis.
air fryer is also good. for now i have stored it as i do not have no place on the kitchen counter top. french fries turn out good and so does samosas. i tried onion pakoras but did not like the texture. but recipes like cutlets or veg balls etc turn out good.
Dear dassana …kindly help me in this….i did not get any user manual in airfryer…just saw in net…m confused ….do v need to putwater.in the basket to prevent smoking…??? It will b very much helpful if u post step wise pic of French fries in airfryer ….sorry for disturbing…. N thank you…
shubha, water is not needed. for french fries just sprinkle some salt on the potatoes. mix well and air fry them in the basket. i do not even blanch the potatoes. give me some time. i will try to add the recipe. you can check youtube videos for air fried recipes. vahchef has some videos and they will be helpful.
OK thank u very much dear…..i baked honey cake …it was good…I commented …but not able to c…
Welcome shubha. Glad to know that honey cake came out well.
It looks delicious. I can’t wait to make it! Well, I have to wait because I’m at work and I don’t have the ingredients.
Thanks Jacqui for this sweet comment.