Honey Almond Spice Cake

Something about honey always makes me feel more whimsical. Maybe it’s the association with cottage core and slower living, maybe it’s the nostalgia of Winnie the Pooh, who knows? The important thing is that it does. It can be a bit tricky to bake with, though. As a liquid sugar, it’s never going to behave exactly the same way that processed granulated sugar does in baked goods. But we know it can be done, since this was the sweetener of choice for many civilizations for millennia, before the mass production of sugar. So, when I was developing this cake, I leaned into that feeling.

This honey almond spice cake is soft, tender, and so flavorful. The bitterness of the almond pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the honey and the bite of the warm spices. The sliced almonds on top offer a much needed crunch. This is the perfect cake for someone who’s not a frosting lover (like my daughter), but still wants something that feels a bit special. Bake this on a rainy Sunday, for your friend who just had a baby, for a loved one whose day needs perking up.

FAQs and Science

Could I just use a spice blend I already own, rather than buying all of these individual spices?

It won’t be exactly the same flavor as what I’ve laid out here, but yes. If you own an apple pie or pumpkin pie spice blend that you absolutely love, feel free to substitute the spices I’ve listed here for 1 ¾ teaspoons of your favorite blend.

Does it matter whether I use raw or processed honey?

I’ve only ever tested this recipe using processed honey (groceries are expensive enough as it is, give me a break), but if you’re a raw honey fanatic, it should work just fine!

What is Frangipane?

Frangipane is an almond cream, used as a filling in many desserts like almond croissants, tarts, jalousie, turnovers, any number of pastries. That trend where you see people describing something as an “almond croissant cookie” or “almond croissant brownie”? They’re just using frangipane in the dessert!

How do you quickly warm the eggs up to room temperature?

Place the eggs into a bowl with ample space. At the beginning of the recipe, fill the egg bowl with the hottest water that comes out of your tap. By the time it’s egg time, they’ll be perfectly warmed.

What You’ll Need

• Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
• 10 inch circular cake pan
• Parchment paper
• Small mixing bowl
• Dry measuring cups
• Liquid measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Offset spatula
• Sieve or sifter
• Cooling rack

The Process

Begin with preparing the frangipane layer. Move the rack to the center of the oven, then preheat it to 350F, on the convection setting if your oven has it. Line the bottom of a 10 inch circular cake pan with parchment paper, and either butter the sides or spray them with a nonstick baking spray. Now, I used a large heart shaped pan for the sake of how pretty it is, but it’s definitely not standard. Set the pan aside for now.

Whisk the sugar, almond flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a small mixing bowl. The whisk will break up any clumps in the almond flour, and the almond flour and sugar will break up any lumps in the cornstarch. It’s worth the dirty bowl and extra 30 seconds of work.

Beat the butter on level 3 in the bowl of a stand mixer for a few minutes, to start the creaming process. Shut it off and toss in the entirety of the dry goods. Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula, then switch the mixer back on to level 3. Cream the frangipane for 5 minutes or so, until the mixture looks like this.

Turn the mixer off again, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add both the egg, yolk, and almond extract. One last time, beat the frangipane on level 3 for a few minutes, until the eggs have completely been absorbed into the mixture, so everything is homogeneous.

Transfer the frangipane over to the lined cake pan. Spread it out as evenly as you can, using an offset spatula. Set the pan aside, then clean out the mixer bowl. You’ll need it to make the spiced honey batter.

Now for the cake batter! In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, allspice, baking soda, and cardamom together. Set the bowl aside.

In the stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on level 3 for 5 minutes or so. With this amount of sugar, it won’t go as white and fluffy as I’d typically tell you to look out for. But it will get a bit lighter and fluffier.

Crack in the first egg and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat the batter on level 3 for a minute or so, until the egg has been fully absorbed into the batter. Switch the mixer off and scrape the sides of the bowl down and repeat with the second egg.

Whisk the milk and honey together in either a small bowl or just directly in the liquid measuring cup, if there’s space.

Add about ⅓ of the dry goods into the batter and turn it back on to level 1. With the mixer still running, once most of the dry goods have been absorbed, pour about ½ of the milk into the batter. Once the liquid has absorbed into the batter, turn it off and scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Repeat this process with the rest of the dry and liquid mixtures, until the batter is complete.

Pour the batter on top of the frangipane in the prepared cake pan. Use the offset spatula to spread the batter evenly throughout the pan. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the batter.

Bake the cake on the center rack of the heated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in the center of the cake comes out clean. Flip the cake around halfway through baking, so it bakes more evenly.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes or so after it comes out of the oven. This allows it to set up, giving it better structural integrity so it won’t fall apart when you flip it out of the pan. Run either a butter knife or the offset spatula around the edges of the pan, then place a cooling rack upside down on top of the cake. Confidently flip the cake over, so it turns out of the pan onto the rack. Flip it once again, so the frangipane is on the bottom again. Once the cake has cooled completely, dust the top with powdered sugar. 

Slice the cake into 12 servings, or however many your desired portion sizes are. Serve one up with a cup of tea, and store any leftover cake in an airtight container.

Honey Almond Spice Cake

Bake Time: 325F for 60 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Total Time: 2 hours
Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Frangipane (Almond Cream):

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cup almond flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

Cake Batter:

• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅔ cup honey
• ½ cup whole milk
• ⅔ cup sliced almonds
• Powdered sugar, for top

Directions

For the Frangipane:

1. Start by preheating the oven and preparing the cake pan. Preheat the oven to 325F, on the convection setting if possible, and position the rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottom of a 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper, then coat the sides of the pan with melted butter or a nonstick baking spray. Set the pan aside, then begin working on the frangipane.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, almond flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat it on level 3 for a few minutes. Turn it off and add the dry goods all at once. Turn the mixer back on to level 3 for 5 minutes or so, until the mixture is fully creamed, as shown above. Switch it off again and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the whole egg, yolk, and almond extract to the frangipane. Turn the mixer to level 3 once more for a few minutes, until the eggs have fully absorbed and the mixture is homogeneous. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and transfer it to the lined cake pan. Spread it out evenly, using an offset spatula. Clean out the mixer bowl and move on to the cake batter.

Make the Batter:

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, allspice, baking soda, and cardamom in a small mixing bowl. Set the dry goods aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on level 3 for a few minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula, then crack in one egg at a time. Beat the batter on level 3 until the first egg has absorbed before adding the next one, scraping the bowl down in between or as needed.
3. In a small bowl or the liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and honey. Set the liquid aside for the moment.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in about ⅓ of the dry goods. Turn the mixer to level one and when most of the dry has absorbed but a few streaks of flour remain, pour in half of the milk and honey. Allow the batter to beat on level one as the liquid absorbs for about a minute, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue alternating between ⅓ of the dry goods and ½ of the milk mixture, until everything has been added and the batter is smooth.
5. Pour the batter on top of the frangipane and spread it out evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top of the cake batter. Place the cake onto the center rack of the heated oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean, flipping halfway through.
6. Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes or so in the pan, then run a butter knife or offset spatula around the rim to loosen the cake. Flip it onto a cooling rack, then turn the cake over again, so the frangipane is on the bottom once more. Once the cake has cooled completely, dust the top with powdered sugar. Slice the cake into 12 servings, or the desired portion sizes, and enjoy! Store any leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Tips

• The frangipane can be prepared and stored in the fridge in a sealed container up to a day ahead of time. Use as instructed when you’re ready.
• Fully baked and cooled honey almond spice cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Follow the recipe as written, but do not dust with powdered sugar before it freezes. It will melt off during the thawing process. A few hours before you’re ready to serve the cake, pull it from the freezer and unwrap it. Allow it to thaw on the counter, then dust it with powdered sugar right before slicing and serving.