This Honey Apple Cake is tender and impressive, and its complex, deep flavor comes from caramelizing the honey and butter in one simple step.
Dipping apples in honey is a Rosh Hashanah tradition (the Jewish New Year), and it’s meant to symbolize the beginning of a sweet new year. Baking a moist Honey cake recipe (known as Rosh Hashanah Honey cake and Jewish honey cake) is another tradition, and as much as I love tradition, the combination of apples and honey is too delicious to just ignore.
Many Jewish holiday desserts can be a bit simple and boring, so I wanted this cake to get a festive look and one of these desserts you saved room for. I have taken an extra step in making this honey upside-down cake and cooked the honey with butter until it is deep golden brown. I first discovered caramelized honey when I researched my cookbook, “Baking Science,” and I’m not sure how to describe this honey caramel sauce layer; it is much more than caramel; it is caramel dipped in honey. Topped with apples. Topped with tender and buttery cake.
This is the perfect dessert to serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra treat. So please do not categorize this honey apple cake as a traditional rosh hashanah food; it is perfect for all special occasions and holidays.
The Ingredients
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients like purpose flour, butter and sour cream, and what gives the cake its unique signature flavors are the honey, and apples. When it comes to decide which brand/type to use, here are what I keep in mind:
- Apples. Tart apples like Granny Smith and Honey crisp apples are too sour to my taste, so for this cake, I decided to use sweet apples like Golden Delicious or Gala.
- Honey. The honey sets the tone of this cake, so use a high-quality one, the kind you enjoy daily. I tested this cake using dark honey, light honey, off brand, and local farmers market. My favorite was the local farmers market, especially when used with local apples in season. I also noticed that the darker the honey, the darker, more caramel like the color of the top layer, though it has no effect on the flavor. I have giant jars of off-brand honey in my pantry at all time, and I use it most times I bake this cake, and honestly, I could barley notice much of a difference between this and the expensive boutique one.
Let’s Bake!
- Arrange the apple slices about 1/2-inch away from the edges of the pan. During baking the batter spread and expand and it pushed the apples towards the pan, if there is not enough space, the apples might slide down once we inver it. And yes, I am speaking form experience.
- The batter is thick, so use a cookie scoop to scoop it on top of the apples. This way the apples won’t slide as you spread the batter.
- Do not allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, or the apples might stick to the pan/parchment paper. Invert it when it is warm (not hot). Onto a serving plate and avoid from moving it more than once.
I like to make a second batch of caramelized honey and brush, or drizzle it warm on the top of the cake right before serving.
Storage and Yields
This recipe makes for one 9-inch cake, about 10-12 slices, depending on the size of each slice. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Moist Caramelized Honey Apple Cake
Ingredients
For the honey apple layer
- 3 small Apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about/14 inch thick).
- 1/3 Cup (120g) Honey
- 1/4 Cup (55g) Unsalted butter
For The Cake
- 1 2/3 Cups (200g) All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking powder
- 3/4 Cup (180g) Unsalted butter soften
- 3/4 Cup (150g) Sugar
- 1/4 Cup (80g) Honey
- 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 1 Large Egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup (120g) Sour cream at room temperature
Instructions
Prepare the honey apple layer
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C), line a nine-inch pan with parchment paper, and spray it with baking spray.
- Pour the honey (120g) and add the butter (55g) in a medium saucepan, then place over medium-high heat until the butter has melted and the honey comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, swirling the pans two to three times.
- Pour the honey mixture into the prepared pan and top with the sliced apples in a pattern, about 1/2-inch away from the edges of the pan.
- Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the cake batter.
Make the cake batter
- Cream the butter (180g), sugar (150g), and honey (80g) until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs (2), then the egg yolk (1) one at a time, waiting for each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Mix in the vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).
- Mix the flour (200g) and baking powder (1.5 teaspoon) in a medium bowl.
- Reduce speed to low, then add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Remove the pan from the refrigerator, then use a cookie scoop to scoop the batter on top of the apples. Use an offset spatula to evenly spread to a an even layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes.
- Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan, then invert the cake onto your serving plate.
- Allow the cake to cool before serving.
I have made many of your recipes and not one has been a disappointment or a disaster. Thank you again. Will be making this for a birthday brunch I’m hosting this weekend.
thank you so much suzan!
In the ingredients you specify baking powder. In the instructions you say in no. 4 to mix flour and baking soda. Which one is correct? Thank you.
Its baking powder.
I was craving something sweet and I had some extra apples and honey, so I Googled “honey apple cake.” This recipe came up, so I gave it a try. Your instructions were great; mine turned out to look just like your pictures! Absolutely delicious. My wife said the cake was like “angel food if it actually came from heaven.” Thanks!
That is so amazing! thank you Brandyn.
Delicious, so easy and great. I was out of honey so increased the brown sugar. Thank you sharing your God given talent.
That is so great to read! Thank you Sandra.
Hi, I’m super excited to try this cake! Do you think it will work without a stand mixer? I’m in a dorm and don’t have access to one but want to make it for a for Rosh Hashanah potluck.
yes! 100%, no need for fancy equipment.
My daughter (11) just made this for Rosh Hashanah and it was so, so delicious.
I’ve wanted to tell you for a while that I’ve tried quite a few of your recipes and they all came out amazing. Thank you and Shanah Tovah!
Thank you so much Chaya! So happy and impressed by your daughter.
Can you please tell me how I can use whole wheat flour in this recipe? I love the taste of whole wheat in cake, so I am hoping I can make this honey apple cake with whole wheat flour. THank you.
Well, I have never baked it using whole wheat flour, but I’d say, replace 30% of the flour with whole wheat flour (no more than 60g), than increase the sour cream amount by 1/4 cup (60g). Let me know how it turns out.