This moist decadent gluten free honey cake recipe is going to become your new favorite. I am so excited to share this recipe with you. This cake is perfect for Rosh Hashanah, Tu B’Shevat, or ANYTIME!
Get ready for Rosh Hashanah with this delicious moist gluten free honey cake recipe. Honey is a large part of the Rosh Hashanah celebration. If you don’t celebrate this holiday, don’t let that stop you from trying this sweet new cake recipe!
For this recipe inspiration, I wanted to adapt a recipe from one of the masters of Jewish baking, Smitten Kitchen. (She adapted this recipe from another baker, but I like how she changed it up.) I used her majestic honey cake recipe and tweaked some quantities, and changed a couple of ingredients to make it the best gluten free honey cake ever!
This homemade honey cake recipe mixes together quickly and makes two loaves, one bundt cake, or one loaf and several mini bundt cakes.
If you love cake as much as we do, this delicious gluten free peach cake is another delicious cake recipe to try!
Why This Cake is Great:
This simple cake is infused with sweet honey flavors. It is one of the best cakes I have made in a long time. When you look at the ingredients, seeing how it all comes together can be hard. Somehow, the flavors blend nicely, and it will only take one bite for you to be hooked.
Note the original recipe called for whiskey, which I decided to omit since there is controversy about how much the alcohol burns off during baking.
I made this as a bundt cake and it was soooooo good!! So moist!!! I love having people try my baked goodies and be shocked they are gluten free!! Thank you for another great recipe!”
Chris S.
If you love cake as much as we do, you will want to check out all of my yummy Gluten Free Cake Recipes!
This gluten-free honey cake recipe for Rosh Hashanah can make one loaf and four mini cakes or two loaves. These little mini bundt cake pans make these little honey cakes so cute!
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten free flour blend – I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work. I just have not tested other flours.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free.
- Xanthan gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Coffee – Use regular or decaf.
- Butter – You can substitute more light oil for the butter if you are dairy-free.
- Eggs – Size large eggs.
- Oil – Any unflavored light oil will work.
- Pure vanilla extract – I do not recommend imitation vanilla.
- Honey – You do not have to use expensive local honey to make this recipe. Any pure, inexpensive honey is fine.
Tools Needed:
If you are new to cake baking, here is a good write-up of my favorite Kitchen Tools For Baking Cakes.
- Mixing Bowls – I love these because they don’t slide around!
- Loaf Pan – For a loaf-style cake.
- Mini Bundt Pan – For bundt-style mini cakes.
Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk. Honey can be thick and difficult to mix in, so I recommend melting the butter and then, pouring the honey into that bowl. Whisk them together and pour them into the larger bowl.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Try not to overmix your batter so your cake is lighter and fluffier.
Step 4: I want to talk about the batter because this batter is going to be a lot runnier than my usual gluten free cake batter. The runny consistency is very similar to my gluten free Japanese banana bread recipe.
Step 5: Pour the batter into a mini bundt cake pan. Fill a little over halfway full.
Step 6: Bake at 350º F for 25 minutes until done.
Step 7: If you are baking in loaf pans, pour the batter into greased bread loaf pans. Fill ¾ full.
Step 8: To get the top of the cake to be tall and domed, bake at 400º F for 8 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350º F for 40 minutes. The actual bake time will vary depending on the size and depth of your loaf pans.
Optional toppings:
You can enjoy these honey cakes as is or with a topping. I recommend either dusting with powdered sugar or drizzling icing over the top.
You may also love this New York deli-style Gluten Free Crumb Cake recipe.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
If you use pure 100% honey, your honey is gluten free. Always read the ingredients to make sure you buy pure honey without additives.
You can easily make this cake dairy-free by swapping more light cooking oil instead of butter.
If you want your cake to be moist and fluffy, I recommend carefully mixing the batter. Overmixing can make the cake turn out denser.
The best way to test for doneness is to insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is finished baking. If you see crumbs or batter, you will want to bake the cake longer.
This cake will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an air-tight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
You can easily freeze this honey cake. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap. Place it into a large freezer bag and seal the bag.
If you are an avid cake baker, check out this Gluten Free Cake Troubleshooting Guide. If you love honey as much as I do, give this easy honey sesame candy recipe a try, too!
More Gluten Free Cake Recipes:
- This Gluten free lemon layer cake makes a great birthday cake!
- If you are a chocoholic, you need to try this gluten free chocolate cake!
- Many bakeries use my Gluten free vanilla cake recipe; it is
- Homemade gluten free French apple cakes
You can also check out all of my homemade gluten free cake recipes because I have so many delicious recipes for you!
Gluten Free Honey Cake
Equipment
- Bread loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup honey * see note
- ½ cup light oil * see note
- ½ cup butter, melted * see note
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup coffee * see note
- ⅓ cup orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. If you want your cake to have a dome top, preheat the oven to 400º F.
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a separate bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix. Because the honey can be difficult to blend, I recommend melting the butter and honey in a dish. Mix the honey and melted butter, then add it to the rest of the wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until it is just barely mixed. Over mixing the cake batter will make the cake turn out denser.
- Grease two loaf pans, a large bundt pan, or mini bundt cake pans. I use spray coconut oil.
- Fill the loaf pans about ¾ full. Mini bundt bake pans should be filled half full.
- If you are making a dome top, cook the loaves for 8 minutes at 400º F then turn the heat down to 350º F. If making a bundt cake, bake at 350º F only.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. Bake time is going to vary widely depending on what you bake your cake in.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cake needs to bake longer.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for light oil.
- I used regular coffee, you can also use decaf. Another good option is black tea. Smitten Kitchen also said you can use water if you prefer.
- These cakes will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I am confused by the use of butter for a gf honey cake you label kosher, how is that possible and what sub may I use since you already use oil in addition to the butter.
Hi Maxine, I did a search to verify. I haven’t stated this recipe as kosher. If you do want to make it kosher, then you would want to use a plant-based butter. I hope this helps.
Thank you for your prompt reply and yes,you didn’t label it as kosher. Will use margarine, is that ok?
Hi Maxine, Margarine should be fine to use. Enjoy :-).
The cake was delicious. I didn’t have coffee. So I substituted with plain water.
The flavor combination was just great.
My non gluten free friends couldn’t tell the difference. A job well done with this cake.
This is my go to for Thanksgiving brunch and Christmas dinner.
I am so glad you loved this recipe. It is one of my family’s very favorites.
The most unique flavor cake we’ve had in a very long time!! I used Better Batter Original Blend gf flour and used your recipe exactly as written!! It couldn’t have been easier!! We had guests and they had no idea it was gluten free!!! They loved the outer layer of the cake and how it caramelized in the heavy Bundt pan! We do too!!! Thanks again for another terrific recipe!!!
I am so glad you tried my recipe and that everyone enjoyed it. I will have to try it in a bundt cake pan next time.
I made this with leftover pineapple juice from my canned pineapple instead of orange juice because I didn’t have any and it turned out delicious.
I love the idea of using pineapple juice. Thank you!
Re oil and butter – do you mean half a cup of each, or either / or?
The recipe uses both the oil and butter.
what dimension bundt pan should be used to be able to fit all of the batter and how much should it be filled up?
Hi Alexandra, I haven’t baked it in a large bundt pan, but a standard sized bundt should be fine.
Do you have metric weights instead of cups not used to these in the UK
Hi Gwen, I do not have metric weights, but a quick look on Google and I see quite a few converters.
Awesome recipe that all my family members love! Those who are following gluten free diet, and those who don’t really care. Made this cake more than once, and will definitely bake it again, so thanks for sharing!!! I am wondering if anyone tried to add a different sweetener. I would love the same texture and taste, but with no added white sugar. Thanks for any ideas and insights 🙂
I am so glad everyone enjoyed this cake, Karina. I haven’t tried any other sugars…but you could try substituting coconut sugar and see if that works.
I made this with flax instead of eggs and golden syrup instead of honey for a vegan version (I also used gluten-free flour) and it turned out to be one of the most delicious, moist, beautiful cakes I’ve ever had. It’ll become a staple in our house for sure. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I love that you used a flax egg and made this cake vegan! It is one of my favorite cake recipes too :-).
I’m confused on the light oil vs butter. The recipe reads that you should add both (1/2 cup oil + 1/2 butter = 1 cup total), but the notes indicate you could use 1/2 of oil OR 1/2 cup butter. Which one is it — do we need a 1/2 cup or 1 cup total? Thanks!
You need one cup total oil. Many use just oil, some like to combine butter and a light oil. I like to do both because it adds to the creaminess of the cake.
I made this as a two layer cake, baked at 350 for about 35 mins. I used black tea and Krusteaz gluten free flour blend. It turned out great! Moist and not flour-tasting, which is difficult when baking gluten free. I would make this recipe again!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Christina. It has been a favorite in our house.
Hi. Would this work as muffins?
Definitely, you will just need a lot less baking time. I would check them at the 20 or 25 minute mark, depending on how big your muffin tray is.
Thank you. We absolutely loved the cake by the way, and it freezes really well.
I am so glad you enjoyed it Annie. If you have a moment, could you please give this recipe a star rating so others can see?
It’s definitely a five star recipe. Love it, and have made it twice already. It’s lovely at breakfast with yoghurt too
I am so glad you enjoy this recipe Annie. Thank you for coming back to let me know :-).
I am in love with this cake! I can hardly believe it’s dairy free, the texture and flavor is perfection. I also love the subtle flavor the honey adds!
I am so glad, enjoy Wilhelmina 🙂
So yummy!! One of my favorite recipes. 🙂
I am glad you had a chance to make this cake :-).
Do you taste the coffee in the bread? If so is there a replacement?
No, I don’t notice a coffee flavor, but you can also use tea.
What do you think I could replace the honey with. Not a fan of cooking with honey after Whig I’ve read , maybe maple syrup or treacle ?
Hi Kay, the honey is really the flavor so changing it would change a lot. Maple would taste good I suspect. I also have an incredible gluten free lemon pound cake recipe on the blog that has no honey if that is better for you.