Fill your kitchen with the aromas of honey and cinnamon while baking Honey Apple Cake. This moist and tender loaf is ideal for celebrating Rosh Hashanah, gifting, and care packages too.
What you'll love about this recipe
This loaf tastes like honey dipped apples. The recipe was originally adapted from a recipe for applesauce bread.
I substituted honey for some of the granulated sugar. The result is a moist, sweet cake that makes a delicious snack or dessert. It's the best honey cake I've ever eaten.
Though it's quick and easy to throw together, this honey cake recipe is great for making ahead. The flavors continue to improve after aging the loaves for a day or two. They also freeze well for up to a month.
The recipe makes two large loaves or six mini loaves. Eat some and freeze the others, or give them away and sweeten someone’s day!
Recipe ingredients
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and honey. Beat in the eggs, then mix in the applesauce.
- Gradually add the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda and beat just until incorporated.
- Spread the batter evenly into pans lightly coated with vegetable oil spray.
- Bake loaf pans for 35-45 minutes and mini pans for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Storage
- Store the honey cakes at room temperature for 5-7 days. Individually wrap each loaf in plastic wrap then place in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag.
- For longer storage times, honey cake freezes well. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer weight ziplock bag for up to one month.
- The loaves are best mailed during cool weather months due to the high moisture content which could promote mold in heat
Tips
- Resist the urge to eat the loaves straight from the oven. They gets sweeter and more flavorful 1-2 days after baking.
- If using disposable foil mini loaf pans, place them on a cookie sheet for more even baking and easy removal from the oven.
- Loaves baked in disposable pans can be left inside the pan for mailing. The pan provides some protection during shipping. Be sure to wrap in plastic wrap for freshness.
- This honey cake recipe can be used in large and small loaf pans, muffin tins, and in bundt pans. The baking time will vary with the size of the baked goods.
- Don't attempt to remove the loaf from the pan until it has cooled. It will fall apart.
Frequently asked questions
It is a honey sweetened cake traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah to usher in a happy new year. It is commonly baked in a loaf or tube pan.
Honey adds moisture to cakes giving them a light, soft crumb. It also adds flavor and enhances the flavors of other ingredients.
This traditional Jewish dessert is a symbol of our hope for a sweet new year.
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More baking with honey recipes
If you love baking with honey, next time try one of these honey sweetened treats.
Apples and Honey Cookies are soft and chewy apple butter cookies topped with honey flavored icing.
One of the most popular cookies in Australia are Honey Jumbles. The sweet flavors in this cookie make them a perfect Jewish New Year treat.
This Honey Gingerbread recipe was developed especially for successful use with cookie stamps. Stamp with holiday symbols or pretty designs and enjoy!
Honey Sesame Cookies remind me of honey halvah in cookie form. If you love sesame, this whole grain cookie is for you.
Honey Roasted Peanut Cookies are crunchy and flavorful. Peanuts taste better , in my opinion, when they are honey roasted. Better peanuts mean better cookies.
My experience with this recipe
On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it’s traditional to eat honey cake and dip apples in honey, symbolizing hope for a sweet new year.
Baking this Rosh Hashanah honey cake is a tradition I began when my children were little. I make many loaves every year and share them with local family and friends.
Though I'd been making and gifting Honey Applesauce Cake for years, I'd never stopped to think about what a great care package treat it is until I shipped some to my son when he was in college. This loaf travels well and tastes even better after a few days.
For those of you who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, I wish you l’shana tova, a happy New Year. I wish everyone a year of health, happiness, and peace.
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Honey Cake
Equipment
- 9" x 5" loaf pans
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup honey
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 ˚F. Lightly coat baking pans with non stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, at medium-high speed, cream together butter, white sugar, and honey.
- Add eggs. Beat until combined.
- Mix in applesauce.
- Gradually add flour mixture and beat just until incorporated.
- Pour batter evenly into pans (approximately 1 cup per mini pan or three cups per loaf pan). Mini loaf pans can be placed in the oven on a cookie sheet for more even baking and easy removal.
- Bake loaf pans for 35-45 minutes and mini pans for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- If removing the honey cakes from the pans, cool for 10 minutes in the pans before moving them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once completely cool, the cooled cake should be wrapped in plastic wrap to keep it deliciously moist. Store honey cake at room temperature (or in the refrigerator) for 5-7 days.
Notes
- Though this sweet treat is traditionally made in Jewish culture during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, it's just as delicious on a random Saturday morning with a cup of tea!
- This recipe makes 2 bread pan loaves (9-inch x 5-inch loaf pans) or 6 (3-inch x 5-inch) mini loaves or one bundt pan.
- This moist cake recipe can also be used in large and small loaf pans, as applesauce muffins, and as bundt cakes. The cooking times will vary with the size of the baked goods.
- The loaves stay fresh for up to a week and are sturdy enough to travel well. They are best mailed during cool weather months due to the high moisture content of the cake.
- Resist the urge to eat this delicious honey cake straight from the oven. It gets sweeter and more flavorful 1-2 days after baking.
- Place disposable foil mini loaf pans on top of a baking sheet for more even baking and easy removal from the oven.
- Loaves baked in disposable pans can be left inside the pan for mailing. The pan provides some protection during shipping. Be sure to wrap in plastic wrap for freshness.
- Don't attempt to remove the loaf from the pan until it has cooled. It will fall apart.
- There is no specific kind of honey that must be used in this tender cake. Varieties to try include orange blossom honey, wildflower honey, or clover honey.
Nutrition
First Published: September 25, 2014. Last Updated: July 31, 2021. Updated for additional information and improved photographs.
Julie
This looks delicious, I'm trying this at the weekend. Your son and his friends are very lucky! Pinning
Miz Helen
Your Applesauce Cake looks so moist and delicious! I really appreciate you sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and hope you are having a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Erlene
Sounds delicious and the perfect baked good to send in the mail to someone. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday. Pinned and will be featuring this in an apple round-up.
Tracy @ Our Simple Homestead
This is the perfect sentence to start this article.... Honey Applesauce Cake tastes like honey dipped apples... It definitely makes you want to try this recipe. I can't wait to try it.
Southern Food Junkie
I love these quick bread like this. They are so good. Ive never had this certain one though. I came across your blog from the I should be mopping the floor blog from their inspiration Monday link party. Thanks for sharing.
Ronnie
Daphne Bryson
Good Afternoon Wendy, I am so pleased that you shared this lovely honey applesauce cake. It looks so very moist and a cake which I know my mother Phyllis will love. She lives in the south of England and I live in the north of England, so I was so pleased to read that it keeps for a week or so. It will allow me to post this lovely cake via the Royal Mail to my my mother.
I have saved the recipe and can't wait to bake it.
Thank you once again.
Best Wishes
Daphne
The Monday Box
Good Afternoon Daphne! It makes me smile to think of this honey cake making its way to your mother via the Royal Mail! This cake has been a special favorite of my family for years and I hope your mother will enjoy it very much. How lovely that you will be sending her some baked love! Thank you so much for letting me know.
Best Wishes
Wendy
Robin Ayers
This is a great applesauce cake! I have been dehydrating apples for the last couple weeks and I wanted to make an applesauce cake so I hit the net. I do the old fashioned applesauce stake cake but I wanted to do something different. I have to say, this is a really good cake that is not too sweet and very moist. I love it! I did make a couple of changes, I added a pinch of ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of allspice and nutmeg. On one pan I put dates, unsweetened coconut, and caramel peanuts on top before baking. I am very happy with the way it turned out. Also, I am on a low sugar diet so I used fructose instead of sugar and I cannot tell the difference!. By the way, warm applesauce on the top and a cup of coffee is a very good dessert, snack, snack again and breakfast!!
The Monday Box
I am so glad you are enjoying the Honey Cake, Robin, and appreciate that you took the time to let me know!! I agree, that even when baked as written (without all of your yummy additions) this is a very moist cake. We love that the flavor improves over time and that the loaves stay fresh and delicious for so long! I often mention in my recipes that seasonal spices like nutmeg, allspice, and clove can be added. I personally don't like them, so I just use cinnamon. Your topping turns this simple loaf into something special! Warm applesauce on top DOES sound great! (Just a side note: I come from a family of diabetics and I am hoping that you realize that fructose and white sugar sucrose are both simple sugars. You mention that you are on a low sugar diet and I don't want the cake to make you unwell! 🙂 ) p.s. I was admiring your photography website. Your fall photos are breathtaking!
Goldie
4 loaves (2 batches back to back) in the oven now.smells heavenly. I substituted margarine for the butter since my daughter is allergic to dairy. Thank you
The Monday Box
Thank you, Goldie! I hope your family enjoys the cake! They freeze well too.
Chanel
Mm I just took mine out of the oven and can't wait for breakfast tomorrow. I added raisins to my recipe
The Monday Box
Hi, Chanel! I am so glad you tried the Honey Applesauce Cake! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! Doesn't it smell wonderful while baking?! Raisins sound like a great addition. This cake improves in taste for several days after baking, so enjoy! 🙂
Allison
I made these tonight. I had to up the time 15 more minutes. They were jiggley when I was took them out after 45 mins. Can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Love to try new wys to bake with applesauce. ?
The Monday Box
Hi, Allison! I am glad you were able to troubleshoot the situation giving your cakes 15 extra minutes. They are worth it! The batter is very moist due to the applesauce. The baking time is very variable based on the size of the pan used and possible variations in oven temperature. I hope you love this loaf as much as we do. I have been baking and sharing Honey Applesauce Cake for many years. 🙂
Paula Krieger
Wendy, Hi I just wanted to let you know I made your recipe and gave three mini loaves to my friends at a girls crafting get together and have saved three loaves and frozen them to send to a soldier when I get a new one to support in the colder months. The small lick of batter I had from the mixer tasted great!
Paula K.
themondaybox
I am so glad you are enjoying and gifting these wonderful loaves! You must have a lot of willpower to freeze or give them all away! 🙂 Because my family looks forward to Honey Applesauce Cake seasonally, I tend to forget what a great year round gift it makes. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂 I think the loaves will be a great addition to a cold weather military care package. In the cold you don't have to worry about the moist loaf molding and the flavor of these cakes improves over time.
saltandserenity
Shana Tova Wendy. Wishing you and your family a sweet and healthy new year. I got a little excited at the farmer's market this week and bought a bushel of apples. Some of them are sure to make their way into this loaf. T
themondaybox
Shana Tova, Cindy! Wishing you and your family the best in the year to come! 🙂 This loaf has been a favorite at our High Holiday gatherings for years. Unlike most traditional honey cakes I have had, this one is (and stays) really moist. I must admit that I have never made it with homemade applesauce. If I could ever get my act together (I always seem to be rushing around on the Holidays) I would love to make enough applesauce to serve and to bake with. Perhaps if I pencil that plan onto my calendar now?
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain
This cake looks so moist and flavorful, Wendy! I love using applesauce in cake - it lends such a nice, subtle flavor and plenty of moisture. 😀
themondaybox
Thanks, Jess! This is the season of baking with apples, applesauce and apple butter! 🙂
chrisscheuer
Hi Wendy! I know your son and all his friends were delighted when they opened their care package. Honey dipped apples sounds wonderful! Hope you're doing well! 🙂
themondaybox
Hi, Chris! This cake is a family favorite. Traditional honey cake can be a bit dry. The applesauce takes care of that in this recipe. I packed a big box with a variety of items (some of them heavy) in addition to the 6 little loaves. As much as he might like honey cake, my son was surprised to see the size of the box. Before he opened it, he called to ask if I really had sent him 19 pounds of honey cake!
I hope you and Scott are doing well! I have been enjoying reading about all of your travels!
shannon
Happy New Year to you, Wendy! I'm always jealous of your son's care packages, but this one maybe more so than usual: your honey applesauce cake looks delicious, just based on the texture and what you throw in it. Beautiful!
themondaybox
Thank you, Shannon! This little loaf is so easy to make and freezes well. I like having it around "just in case." As in, "Just in case Shannon drops by for coffee, I will give her a slice!" 🙂
Sue G.
Can I usesweetened applesauce and cut down on sugar to how much????
Wendy Sondov
Hi Sue. I always use unsweetened applesauce. As for cutting down on sugar, I have never tried so what I would suggest is start by cutting out 1/4 cup (from a full recipe or 2 tablespoons from a half recipe). If that works and you want to cut more, try removing an additional 1/4 cup. Sugar not only sweetens but effects the moisture and texture of a baked good, which is why I would cut back in small amounts. Let me know what you discover if you give this a try!