Honey-Drip Layered Cake (Printable version)

Luscious cake layers infused with honey and a central warm honey pot for dipping and delight.

# What You Need:

→ Cake Layers

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - ½ cup honey
08 - 3 large eggs
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - ¾ cup whole milk

→ Honey Cream Filling

11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons honey
13 - ¼ cup mascarpone cheese

→ Central Honey Pot

14 - 1 cup high-quality liquid honey (wildflower or acacia preferred)

→ Garnish

15 - ¼ cup chopped toasted almonds
16 - Edible flowers (optional)
17 - Additional honey for drizzling

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Incorporate honey, eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with whole milk to the butter mixture, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.
06 - Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold in honey and mascarpone cheese. Continue whipping to stiff peaks. Chill until ready to assemble.
07 - Slice each cake horizontally into two thin layers, yielding four thin cake layers total. Place the first layer on a platter and spread an even layer of honey cream. Repeat layering until stacked.
08 - Use a 3-inch round cutter to carefully remove a circular section from the center of the stacked cake. Insert a small glass or ceramic honey pot into the cavity and fill with liquid honey.
09 - Decorate the top of the cake with chopped toasted almonds, edible flowers if desired, and drizzle additional honey over the surface. Serve slices with honey from the central pot for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's interactive and theatrical, turning dessert into a shared moment rather than just something plated in front of you.
  • The honey-infused cake stays moist for days, getting better as the flavors settle.
  • Everyone remembers the first time they saw it—that warm honey pot waiting at the center feels like a secret revealed.
02 -
  • Slicing those cake layers horizontally is easier with a long serrated knife and confidence—tentative sawing creates crumbs, but one steady motion creates clean lines.
  • The honey pot needs to be heatproof and stable because guests will dip and swirl, not just pour, and you don't want it tipping over mid-dessert.
  • Make sure your cake layers are completely cool before layering, or the honey cream will melt and slide off, turning your tower into a lean-to.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about slicing layers, freeze the cake for an hour first—it firms up enough to slice cleanly without turning to crumbs.
  • Make the honey cream the morning of serving or the night before, and keep it chilled; it gets a little weepy if it sits too long at room temperature.
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