Equipment
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 300 g cake flour, sifted
- 8 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 4 g kosher salt
- 225 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 170 g honey
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 240 ml buttermilk, room temperature
Honey Vanilla Buttercream (Optional)
- 340 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 300 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 60 g honey
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g kosher salt
Garnish
- 200 g mixed fresh berries, washed and dried completely
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 673 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 75 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 55 g
- Sodium
- 339 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 24 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 164 mg
- Potassium
- 129 mg
- Calcium
- 91 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 103 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 352 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.24 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 1.8 mg
- Folate
- 61 mcg
- Water
- 61 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease two 20cm round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and lightly flour the sides.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the honey and beat for an additional 1 minute on medium speed until fully incorporated.
With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to fully blend into the batter before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk in five additions: dry, wet, dry, wet, dry. Mix on the lowest setting just until the last streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 15 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack. Carefully peel off the parchment paper and let them cool completely.
If making the buttercream, place the room temperature butter in a clean mixer bowl and beat on medium-high for 5 minutes until incredibly pale and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, then the honey, vanilla, and salt. Beat for 3 more minutes until light and spreadable.
Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread an even layer of buttercream over the top. Add the second cake layer and spread the remaining buttercream on the top and sides as desired. Garnish heavily with fresh mixed berries right before serving.
Chef's Notes
- The character of this cake hinges entirely on the honey you select. A standard supermarket clover honey yields a classic, mild sweetness. For a complex, autumn-inspired Thanksgiving profile, seek out chestnut or buckwheat honey.
- Buttermilk is non-negotiable here. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda to lift this heavy, butter-rich batter, preventing a stodgy crumb.
- When bringing ingredients to room temperature, they should ideally be around 21 degrees Celsius. Butter should hold its shape but yield easily to a gentle press from your thumb.
- If the fresh berries are slightly tart, they will provide a beautiful contrast to the sweet honey buttercream.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight cake keeper to prevent the butter from absorbing fridge odors and the crumb from drying out.
Freezer: 2 months — Unfrosted cake layers freeze exceptionally well when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Reheating: Bring to room temperature for 2 hours before serving to ensure the butter in the cake and frosting is completely soft.
Troubleshooting
Cake crumb is dense or rubbery
Cause: Overmixing the batter after adding the flour, or the buttermilk and eggs were too cold to emulsify properly.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but slicing thinly and serving with a soaking syrup can improve mouthfeel.
Prevention: Ensure all ingredients are truly at room temperature. Mix the dry ingredients only until just combined.
Buttercream separates or looks curdled
Cause: The butter or honey was too cold, breaking the emulsion.
Fix: Remove 30 grams of the buttercream, melt it in the microwave for 10 seconds, and pour it back into the running mixer to re-emulsify the batch.
Prevention: Ensure butter is properly softened at room temperature (around 20-22 degrees C).
Cake baked unevenly with a huge dome
Cause: Oven temperature was too high or the batter wasn't leveled.
Fix: Use a serrated knife to carefully trim the dome off the cake before assembling the layers.
Prevention: Use an oven thermometer to verify temperature and smooth batter evenly in the pan.
Cultural Context
Layer cakes are a cornerstone of American baking tradition, often acting as the centerpiece for celebrations, birthdays, and holidays like Thanksgiving. Integrating honey into a classic buttermilk sponge nods to regional American agriculture, where local apiaries produce distinct, terroir-driven varietals that fundamentally shape the final flavor profile of baked goods.
