13 Honey Cake Recipes that are Randall the Blue Spider Approved

In the book, Randall the Blue Spider Tries Honey Cakes, Randall is hesitant to try his friend's Honey Cakes. In the story, he learns a lesson about trying new things -- that you don't know if you like something until you try it - and new (to you) foods can be delicious! 

Even though they are new to Randall, honey cakes are a dessert that has been around for a long time. Dating back to ancient times, honey cakes were thought to be a treat that only the gods could enjoy. Made with honey, flour, and eggs, these cakes were considered a luxury. 

Now, honey cakes are a great dessert for spring. They are usually light, fluffy, and delicious - and a fun experience in the kitchen, creating memories (and a mess) while baking with your children.

What are honey cakes?

Honey cakes are a type of cake that is made with honey. They can be made with different types of honey, but the most popular type is clover honey. Honey cakes can be either light and fluffy or dense and moist. They are often flavored with spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Honey cakes are a popular dessert in many parts of the world, especially in Europe and North America.

Honey cakes have been called the fruitcakes of Jewish New Year, but many of the recipes below (and on Pinterest) 

Image from Delish’s Honey Cake recipe, by Emily Hlavac Green.

How do you make a honey cake?

There are many different recipes for honey cake, but the basic ingredients usually include flour, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, sugar, milk, and honey. The proportions of these ingredients will vary depending on the recipe you use. Most recipes will also call for some kind of spice to be added to the batter. Once all of the ingredients are mixed together well, the batter is baked in an oven until it is cooked through.

See below for some of our favorite recipes for Honey Cakes!

Why are honey cakes so popular?

Honey cake is a very versatile dessert. It can be served plain or decorated with frosting or fruit. It can be made into cupcakes or sheet cake. It can also be used as a base for other desserts like trifles or tiramisu.

Many people celebrate Rosh Hashanah aka Jewish New Year by baking Honey Cakes with their families. They are seen as a symbol of hope for a sweet year to come. 

Honey cake is thought to date back to ancient Egypt, where it was served as a dessert after feasts. The tradition of eating honey cake on Rosh Hashanah was first mentioned in the 13th century by Rabbi Isaac ben Moses of Vienna. In his commentary on the Talmud, he wrote that eating honey cakes on Rosh Hashanah ensures "that one's prayers will be answered favorably."

There are also layered honeycakes that are popular in the UK and Russia called Marlenka, a traditional honey cake with nuts, made according to an old Armenian family recipe.

Nowadays, there are many different recipes for honey cakes, from light and fluffy cakes to layered cakes with honey and caramel to dense and rich ones. No matter what recipe you use, making AND EATING honey cake anytime during the year is a delicious way to celebrate the changing seasons and be hopeful for the future. 

A few of our favorite honey cakes recipes (that would be Randall-approved):

1. Honey Cake with Sour Cream Frosting from Olga in the Kitchen 

2. Honey Lemon Cake Recipe from Julie Blanner 

3. Milk and Honey Cake from Lenox Bakery 

4. Majestic And Moist Honey Cake from Marcy Goldman's cookbook A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking (adapted for NPR) 

5. The Best Honey Cake Recipe from Delish. (hey, we didn’t call it that, they did). 

6. Twice Baked Honey Cakes  from The Hobbit - The Gingered Whisk 

7. Honey Cupcakes from the Cupcake Project 

8. Olive Oil Honey Cake With Fresh Peaches from Hip Foodie Mom

9. Okay, okay. I know these aren't Honey Cakes, but they are so cute! Mini Olive Oil Carrot Cakes with the Creamiest Cream Cheese Frosting (but you could follow the instructions to create with a honey cake sheet pan recipe)

10.  Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake Recipe from Always Delicious 

11. Brown Butter Honey And Lemon Thyme Cakes from Donna Hay

12. ​​  Easy Moist Honey Cake Recipe from Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

13. Russian Honey Cake, Recipe from Michelle Polzine, Adapted by Samin Nosrat

Is anyone else hungry?