Description
Whipping up this orange ginger honey cake brings pure joy to your kitchen, filling the space with warm, aromatic spices that dance around your senses. Drizzled with honey and bursting with citrus notes, this cake becomes a delightful treat perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup honey
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Liquid and Flavor Enhancers:
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup candied ginger (optional)
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F and thoroughly coat a 9-inch round cake pan with butter to prevent sticking.
- Grab a medium bowl and whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until they’re perfectly blended.
- Use an electric mixer to cream ½ cup butter and ¾ cup sugar until the mixture becomes light and airy, about 3 minutes.
- Incorporate 2 large eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed before adding the next.
- Pour in ½ cup honey, ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tbsp orange zest, ¼ cup sour cream, and 1 tsp vanilla extract, stirring until the mixture looks smooth and consistent.
- Gently fold your dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything combines – avoid overmixing.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly across the surface.
- If using candied ginger, sprinkle ¼ cup of pieces across the top of the batter.
- Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes to settle.
- Carefully transfer the cake to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs and butter to create a smoother, more evenly mixed batter that rises better.
- Zest the orange before juicing to make the process easier and capture maximum citrus flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter after adding dry ingredients, as this can make the cake tough and dense.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to keep the cake’s soft texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 279 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 167 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg