These honey cupcakes are moist and delicious and bursting with the flavor of coffee and honey. Perfect any time of the year but especially to celebrate the Jewish new year Rosh ha Shana.
Table of Content
In recent times, instead of making single desserts for everyone, I choose to make small individual treats. For example, instead of making my honey cake in a large bundt pan, I chose to make these individual cupcakes.
Why make these cupcakes?
- This is a very simple and easy cupcake recipe to make. I like to whip the eggs, which makes the cake light and airy.
- The warm spices enhance the flavor of the honey, and the coffee adds a very unique dimension of flavor. And yet, if you don't like coffee, you can also use orange juice instead.
- These cupcakes are delicious on their own or frost them with honey buttercream as I have.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour - Plain all-purpose flour works best for this cake. If you use self-raising flour, just omit ½ teaspoon baking powder in the recipe.
- Oil - Gives this cake that light and airy sponge texture.
- Sugar - I have used a combination of both white and brown sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar adds a lovely caramel-like flavor.
- Honey - Use good quality honey for this cake. I buy organic honey, especially for this cake.
- Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are the basic spices used for this cake. But, I also love to add a dash of pumpkin spice.
- Liquid - Coffee or orange juice both work great for this cake. I love to use coffee with honey. I think they go wonderfully together.
Step by step instructions
- Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C Gas Mark 3.
Pro tip - The batter gets ready very quickly. But, make sure the oven is preheated well. - Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Honey cupcake batter
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs for a minute until light and fluffy. Then, gradually add the brown and white sugar. Once all the sugar is in, continue to whip until light and airy ribbon stage, about 3 minutes.
Pro tip - The best way to whip more volume into the eggs is to start with warm eggs and add the sugar gradually. - Then, gradually, add the oil, followed by the honey. Next, add the brewed and cooled coffee and vanilla extract.
Pro tip - Do not overwhip at this time as we do not lose all the volume in our whipped eggs. - Finally, add the flour mixture. Divide the batter between 15 to 18 cupcake liners.
Pro tip - Don't add flour gradually, but rather quickly this will avoid lumps. Once all the flour is in, do not over mix the batter.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.
Pro tip - Turning the baking pan halfway through will ensure they bake evenly. - Cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Pro tip - It is essential to cool cupcakes or cake completely before frosting or the frosting will melt.
Honey buttercream
- In a stand mixer with a paddle the attachment, cream butter with honey and salt for a minute.
- Then, gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Once all the powdered sugar is in, gradually add the whipping cream. Continue to whip until you have a light and fluffy whipped cream consistency ( 2 to 3 minutes).
Pro tip - If you do not whip, the consistency will be very soft. The whipping will add volume to the buttercream making it light and fluffy.
Assemble
- Place buttercream in a piping bag with your favorite piping tip. I used a star tip.
Pro tip - You can also color this frosting with as many colors as you want. - Pipe a swirl on each cupcake starting from the base towards the top as shown in the video.
- I dusted them with freshly grated nutmeg but you can also drizzle them with more honey.
More cupcakes you may like
Frequently asked questions
How long will these honey cupcakes keep?
These cupcakes can be kept at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Make sure to wrap well in plastic so it does not dry out.
You can even freeze this cake in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight for best results
What frosting works best for these cupcakes?
I like the idea of honey cupcakes with honey frosting but so many other frostings would work equally well. From classic cream cheese to Swiss or Italian meringue or rich German or French buttercreams. Since there is coffee in the batter a coffee buttercream would work too.
What other spices work with this cupcake recipe?
You can add pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
No, this cake has been tested with oil, so it's best to use oil for this recipe
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Printable Recipe
Honey Cupcakes
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 325°F / 165°C Gas Mark 3
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 407kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 15 cupcakes
Description
These honey cupcakes are moist and delicious and bursting with the flavor of coffee and honey. Perfect any time of the year but especially to celebrate the Jewish new year Rosh ha Shana.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Honey cupcakes
- 1½ cups (190 g) All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon Ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg (fresh grated)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) White sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) Brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Honey
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Vegetable oil
- 1 Eggs (large)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) Brewed coffee (or orange juice)
- ½ teaspoon Orange zest (or lemon zest)
Honey Buttercream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Honey
- 1 cup (227 g) Butter (unsalted room temperature)
- 4 cups (480 g) Powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Whipping cream (38% fat)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg ((freshly grated) )
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C Gas Mark 3.Pro tip - The batter gets ready very quickly. But, make sure the oven is preheated well.
- Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Honey cupcake batter
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs for a minute until light and fluffy. Then, gradually add the brown and white sugar. Once all the sugar is in, continue to whip until light and airy ribbon stage, about 3 minutes. Pro tip - The best way to whip more volume into the eggs is to start with warm eggs and add the sugar gradually.
- Then, gradually, add the oil, followed by the honey. Next, add the brewed and cooled coffee and vanilla extract.Pro tip - Do not overwhip at this time as we do not lose all the volume in our whipped eggs.
- Finally, add the flour mixture. Divide the batter between 15 to 18 cupcake liners. Pro tip - Don't add flour gradually, but rather quickly this will avoid lumps. Once all the flour is in, do not over mix the batter.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.Pro tip - Turning the baking pan halfway through will ensure they bake evenly.
- Cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.Pro tip - It is essential to cool cupcakes or cake completely before frosting or the frosting will melt.
Honey buttercream
- In a stand mixer with a paddle the attachment, cream butter with honey and salt for a minute. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Once all the powdered sugar is in, gradually add the whipping cream. Continue to whip until you have a light and fluffy whipped cream consistency ( 2 to 3 minutes).Pro tip - If you do not whip, the consistency will be very soft. The whipping will add volume to the buttercream making it light and fluffy.
Assemble
- Place buttercream in a piping bag with your favorite piping tip. I used a star tip. Pro tip - You can also color this frosting with as many colors as you want.
- Pipe a swirl on each cupcake starting from the base towards the top as shown in the video.
- I dusted them with freshly grated nutmeg but you can also drizzle them with more honey.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Use fine-grain sugars when preparing cake batters so it dissolves easily.
- Use good quality raw honey as it makes a huge difference in flavor.
- Make sure the spices are fresh. Spices kept for too long lose flavor.
- Use flavorless oil for cakes so it does not overpower the flavor in the cake.
- These cupcakes can be kept at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Make sure to wrap well in plastic so it does not dry out.
- You can even freeze this cake in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight for best results.
- If you don't want to make cupcakes you can also make a cake. Follow my honey bundt cake recipe for more details.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 407- kcalCarbohydrates: 60- gProtein: 2- gFat: 19- gSaturated Fat: 13- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1- gMonounsaturated Fat: 4- gTrans Fat: 1- gCholesterol: 49- mgSodium: 174- mgPotassium: 69- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 49- gVitamin A: 453- IUVitamin C: 1- mgCalcium: 26- mgIron: 1- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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M Tanya
If you were wondering how these would be if someone (who will remain nameless, but whose initals are My Husband) "helps" by deciding whole wheat flour would be healthier and so dumps it in...they are fine. A bit grainy, but fine. When I sell this man to the circus I am making them again. CORRECTLY.
I love the recipe view turn off screen darkening feature!!!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you for the feedback, Tanya. Many people do like making cakes with whole wheat, I am still working on perfecting that substitute. I find they make the cakes and cupcakes dense.
Do you reduce the amount of flour? I find that if I reduce the amount of Whole wheat in cupcakes by just a couple of tablespoons it works better.
Natalie
Really beautiful cupcakes. The texture is amazing. They do look moist and flavorful. I'm excited to try them. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Alex
Wow, that looks absolutely delicious just what I was looking for thank you for sharing your recipe!
Kristen Wood
These look super moist and the addition of spices sound perfectly delicious! 🙂
Gavin Sutherland
These aren't just your average cupcake! Moist, serious flavour and well, they didn't last long 😉
Veena Azmanov
Aww so happy to hear that, Gavin. Thanks for the lovely feedback.