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Traditional Danish Honey Cake (Honningkage) Recipe

Christmas Honey Cake

Honningkage, or honey cake, is a traditional Danish cake that emerged in southern Denmark in the 18th century. Popular around the holidays, this cake combines warm spices, honey, and a tender crumb to evoke the classic flavors of Christmas. The sponge is airy yet slightly chewy, with a gentle honey note reminiscent of a light gingerbread. We decorated ours with candied lemon slices, candied ginger, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of dark chocolate, but the cake is versatile — a layer of apricot or orange jam under the buttercream is an excellent alternative.

A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.

Tips & Tricks

This recipe is straightforward. Heat the honey gently over low heat until it becomes more fluid — do not let it boil or burn — then let it cool before adding it to the egg mixture. When whipping the eggs and sugar, beat until the mixture is pale and increased in volume; this creates the light lift in the sponge. The texture of honningkage is intentionally different from a classic sponge: expect larger air pockets and a slightly denser crumb. If you plan to frost the outside of the cake, double the buttercream quantities. For best results, weigh ingredients with a digital scale and, if available, use a convection oven as noted below.

A slice of honey cake.
A spoon with honey on it.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.
A honey cake with buttercream topped with chocolate, walnuts, and candied lemon.

Honningkage (Honey Cake)

Honningkage is a fluffy yet slightly dense Danish honey cake flavored with warm spices. It pairs beautifully with vanilla buttercream and a melted dark chocolate topping, and is an excellent festive dessert for gatherings.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 45 mins

Important note: This recipe was developed using metric measurements (grams and milliliters). For precision, a digital scale is recommended. The original testing used a convection (fan) oven.

Ingredients

SPONGE (MAKES 2 SMALL OR 1 LARGE SPONGE)

  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 100 grams (about 1/2 cup) sugar
  • 200 grams (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) honey
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
  • 50 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
  • 250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp allspice (optional)
  • Citrus zest (lemon or orange)
  • A pinch of salt

BUTTERCREAM ICING

  • 113 grams (8 tbsp) butter, softened
  • 100 grams (about 3/4 cup) powdered sugar
  • Splash of vanilla extract

TOPPING / DECORATION

  • Dark chocolate (melted)
  • Candied lemon slices (optional)
  • Candied ginger (optional)
  • Chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two shallow round cake tins or one larger tin and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. Gently heat the honey in a small saucepan over low heat until it becomes more fluid. Avoid boiling. Remove from heat and let it cool until it is warm but not hot.
  3. Beat the eggs and sugar together until pale, light, and increased in volume — this can take several minutes with a mixer. Fold in the cooled honey, buttermilk, and vegetable oil.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice (if using), citrus zest, and salt.
  5. Sift or add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently to avoid deflating the eggs. You can also mix briefly on low speed until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between your tins.
  6. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. A single larger cake may require a longer bake time. Allow the cakes to cool completely before decorating.
  7. If you baked two cakes, level the domed tops so they stack neatly. If you baked one larger cake, trim the domed top and split the cake horizontally to create layers.
  8. Make the buttercream by beating the softened butter with powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla until light and fluffy. Use the buttercream between the layers; double the recipe if you want to frost the outside of the whole cake.
  9. Melt dark chocolate and spoon or pipe it over the top of the iced cake. Finish with candied lemon, candied ginger, chopped nuts, or other decorations as desired. Serve at room temperature and enjoy.
Honey heated up over the stove.
Eggs and sugar whipped together.
Dry ingredients mixed together.
Cakes in the oven.
Cakes cooling on a rack.
Cake after decorating.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Danish

Keywords: buttercream, chocolate, festive, fluffy, ginger, holiday, honey, warm spices

Difficulty: Intermediate

Serving, storage, and variations

This honey cake keeps well and actually improves after a day as flavors meld. Store it covered at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week; bring to room temperature before serving. For a lighter finish, substitute half the buttercream with whipped cream and fold in a spoonful of jam for a fruity layer. If you prefer different nuts, toasted hazelnuts or almonds are lovely. To make the cake vegan, try replacing eggs with a commercial egg replacer and using plant-based butter in the frosting, but expect a change in texture.

Honningkage works beautifully as a holiday centerpiece or a simple everyday treat. Its warm spice profile pairs well with strong coffee or mulled wine for a festive pairing. Enjoy experimenting with toppings and fillings to make this classic Danish cake your own.