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.
Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!
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.
Malkah Livneh
Thank you! This recipe is fabulous and so easy and delicious. I made it this week to be ready for Rosh ha-Shanah! I made one large pan and 3 small pans ( slightly bigger than your small size pans) for gifts. I didn't have quite enough applesauce so added 1/2 cup of peach - apple sauce which gave it a little bit of added flavor. Have a Happy New Year ( Shanah Tovah)!
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Malkah. I am so happy that you are enjoying this recipe! It's our family favorite honey cake and after so many years baking it, I can't imagine Rosh Hashanah without it. 🙂 Your ingenious peach applesauce variation sounds delicious to me! I'm going to give it a try. Wishing you a sweet new year! L'Shanah Tova!
saltandserenity
So impressed that you already have a Rosh Hashanah post done! I can't even think about that yet. It's so hot here this week! I find most honey cakes too cloying, but this one, with the addition of applesauce, seems like it will balance the flavours. Can't wait to try it.
Carlee
Oh my goodness, this is calling my name!
Doreen
Is there a suitable icing that can be used with this loaf?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Doreen. Have you tried the loaf and feel it needs icing? This is a very moist and sweet loaf. I have never used icing, but I would think that a confectioners' sugar glaze made with honey and a little cinnamon would go well with the loaf. Enjoy!
madhuri Shirke
hii i like ur post
Anita
What size of regular loaf pan would you use for this recipe and how many would this recipe use.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Anita. This recipe makes 2 full sized loaves. The loaf pans I use are 9" x 5". Enjoy!
Shanita
Delicious! I halved the recipe and it still made two nice sized loaves. This will probably be made monthly.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Shanita! I am so glad that you are enjoying the Honey Cake! We find that the flavors deepen and get even better in a day or two! The loaves also freeze well. Thank you for your comment and for your 5 star rating!
Sharon
Do you use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Sharon. I use unsalted butter in all of my baking. I've fixed that in the recipe card above.
Nicole
What will happen if I use sweetened applesauce. I have a ton ro use up. Lol
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Nicole. Nothing "bad" should happen at all! 🙂 The loaves will be a bit sweeter from the sweetened applesauce. You can leave out 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar to compensate if you like. Go ahead and use up that extra applesauce and enjoy!
Sally Harper
Wendy, I love the aroma and taste of this recipe! However, I ended up with a layer of applesauce at the bottom of the loaves. Instead of the top rising, they fell somewhat. I followed the recipe, I live at 1800 feet (elevation). Ideas of what could cause this?
Thank you!
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Sally. I've never had these issues with this recipe, so I'm not sure what could be causing the problems. I have zero experience with high altitude baking, but I do know that it does often require adjustments. If you ended up with moisture on the bottom (the applesauce was completely mixed into the batter, right?) and the top fell in, it sounds like the loaf didn't bake through. Take a look at this resource for high altitude baking from King Arthur Flour. I hope it helps! https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Jenessa
This recipe sounds amazing!! Is it possible to make with almond flour instead of all purpose? Thanks!!
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Jenessa! I have made this recipe successfully with gluten free flour (I like the Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1), but I have never tried it with almond flour.
Sandra Trauzzi
Delicious. Will make it again and again
Wendy Sondov
I agree, Sandra! I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the honey cake! Thank you for leaving your comment and rating!
Stephanie
Hi, just made this for the first time. My friend is a bee keeper and I get lots of local free honey so I'm always looking for new ways to use it.
I'm grain free so I substituted the 3 cups of regular flour for 1 cup almond flour, 1 cup tapioca flour and 1 cup coconut flour. Also I used coconut sugar instead of granulated. I think next time I may cut the sugar down by 1/4 cup, they are wonderfully sweet. It made 1 good size loaf and 12 muffins.
Great recipe, moist and sweet.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Stephanie. I'm glad you were able to make this recipe work for you and that you enjoyed the results!
Denise Wartluft
Can I use raisins in this recipe?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Denise. You absolutely can use raisins in this recipe. Keep in mind that this cake tastes even better the next day, so you might want to plan ahead. Enjoy!
Siri
Hello! This looks like a wonderful recipe, thank you for sharing. I was just wondering if there is any way to only make one loaf? Would it be okay to half all of the ingredients?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Siri. You can definitely make just one loaf using half of the recipe. However, this loaf freezes very well and also makes a lovely gift. You might want to make the whole recipe and freeze one loaf for later or gift a loaf to someone who could use a smile. 🙂 Happy baking!
Patty
I baked your Honey Applesauce Cake tonight and everyone liked it, but I agree with another post that some small apple chunks would be delicious in this too. I was thinking about 1 1/2 cups and using Granny Smith, Fiji or Jazz. What do you think would be best and what about the amount? Oh, I also used half cinnamon and apple pie spice.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Patty. I can see how some apple bits could be delicious. First, keep in mind that adding to the recipe will increase the volume of the batter. Be careful not to overfill your pans. That said, I would start with no more than 1 cup of chopped apples and see how the batter looks before adding any more. All of the firm, slightly tart apples you mentioned sound like good choices.
Patty
When adding the extra cup of finely chopped apples, would you leave everything else the same? I think the cake/bread gets better each day! 🙂 I have been reheating it in a NuWave oven adding butter after heating YUM YUM YUM
Barbara F Anderson
have you ever made this vegan without egg and butter? using shortening or coconut oil and bananas for eggs?
Wendy Sondov
I'm sorry, Barbara, I have never tried adapting this recipe to make it vegan. My concern with the substitutions you suggested is that they will make an already moist cake too mushy, but I have no vegan baking experience so I am really unsure. Have you seen this recipe below? Maybe it is a good place to start. https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-jewish-honey-cake-recipe-1135445
Thurcia
Wanted to be sure to review here as well! I made square muffins for my toddlers (halve the recipe) using 2 to 1 brown to white sugar and added raisins. So moist and delicious and so easy! Next time I’ll try chopped apples. Thanks again! This will easily make my weekly rotation.
Wendy Sondov
Thank you so much, Thurcia, for taking the time to leave your lovely 5 star review! I really appreciate it. Your photo of the muffins on Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/366480488427085273/) looks delicious! The image in my head of your toddlers munching on honey cake muffins makes me smile! 🙂