Imagine the aroma of warm spices, bright citrus and fragrant honey. This Spiced Orange Honey Cake delivers all of that—moist crumb, warm spice notes and a glossy orange glaze. It’s an ideal dessert for Rosh Hashanah and equally comforting throughout the cooler Fall and Winter months.
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Why we love this recipe
I first baked this cake for Rosh Hashanah, when honey is traditionally served to wish for a sweet new year. Honey cake is a classic holiday treat and this version adds a lively citrus twist: an Orange-Glazed Spiced Honey Cake finished with candied orange slices and peel.
There are countless family recipes for honey cake; each has its own charm. This one balances honey and warm baking spices with a nutty texture from almond and hazelnut meal, and a bright orange glaze to cut the sweetness.
Baking with spices is one of my favorite things—the scent alone is irresistible. For this cake I use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove and a touch of anise for depth; a mixed five-spice blend works fine as a substitute.
Ingredients
The ingredient list may look long but the cake is straightforward to make. The combination of honey, spices and nut meals gives this loaf its tender texture and rich flavor.
Key components:
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Spiced tea (such as chai) brewed with water
- Neutral oil (canola or similar)
- Orange zest
- Plain (all-purpose) flour
- Almond meal
- Hazelnut meal (or extra almond meal)
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove and anise (or a similar spice mix)
How to make Honey Orange Cake
The cake comes together in three main stages: brew the tea, combine the wet ingredients, then fold in the dry ingredients and bake.
- Prepare a fragrant spiced tea in boiling water and let it cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs with brown sugar until foamy, then add the honey. Stir in oil, orange zest and the brewed tea.
- Fold in the dry ingredients—flour, almond and hazelnut meals, baking powder, salt and spices—until just combined. Pour into a prepared loaf pan and bake until set.
Baking with Honey
Good honey makes a noticeable difference. Choose a floral, fragrant honey for the best flavor—local or artisanal varieties work wonderfully. I often use a Tasmanian honey with floral notes, but any high-quality honey will enhance the cake’s character.
How to make an Orange Glaze
A simple fruit glaze adds shine and a burst of citrus. This glaze uses orange and lemon juice heated with a plant-based gelling agent (agar agar), which sets quickly and is vegan-friendly. Because the cake is already sweet, the glaze contains no added sugar—its bright acidity balances the loaf perfectly.
The glaze is ready in minutes: bring the juices to a boil, whisk in agar agar, then pour the hot glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set.
How to make Candied Oranges
Candied oranges are an easy, elegant decoration. You can candy whole thin slices or just the peel. The process softens bitter pith and concentrates the orange flavor.
Method summary: blanch the slices and peel strips in boiling water a couple of times to remove bitterness, then simmer them gently in a sugar syrup (I add a pinch of cinnamon) until the liquid reduces and the fruit becomes sticky and translucent. Allow to cool on a rack before arranging on the glazed cake.
More Honey and Spiced Cakes recipes
- Double Chocolate Cake with Spiced Pears
- Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
- Lemon Honey Glazed French Cruller Donuts
- Apple and Pear Crumble
- Fresh Pear Pie
Made this recipe?
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Recipe
Orange Glazed Spiced Honey Cake
Ingredients
Spiced Honey Cake
- 80 ml Spiced Tea, such as chai
- 3 large Eggs
- 80 gr Brown Sugar
- 175 gr Honey
- 125 ml Canola Oil, or flavour-neutral oil
- 2 teaspoon Orange Zest, about 1 large orange
- 150 gr Plain Flour
- 25 gr Almond Meal
- 25 gr Hazelnut Meal, or replace with almond meal
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 pinch Fine Table Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Clove Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Anise Seed Powder (optional)
Orange Glaze
- 120 ml Orange Juice
- 30 ml Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Agar Agar Powder
Candied Oranges
- 1 Orange
- 3 x 250 ml Water
- 120 gr Caster Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
Instructions
Spiced Honey Cake
-
Preheat the oven to 170℃ / 340℉. Grease a loaf pan well and line with baking paper if desired.
-
Brew your spiced tea and let it cool. A fragrant chai or similar blend works best.
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In a large bowl whisk eggs and brown sugar until foamy. Add honey (warm briefly if thick), then the cooled tea, oil and orange zest.
-
Whisk in the dry ingredients: flour, almond and hazelnut meals, baking powder, salt and spices until just combined.
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Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 30–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
When cool, place the loaf on a rack over a tray before glazing to catch any drips.
Orange Glaze
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Combine orange and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in agar agar and simmer for a couple of minutes to activate.
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Remove from heat and carefully pour the hot glaze over the cooled cake to coat. Allow about 20 minutes for the glaze to set.
Candied Oranges
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Cut the orange in half. Thinly slice one half for rounds and peel the other half, slicing the peel into strips.
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Bring 250 ml water to a boil, add the orange slices and peel strips and blanch for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse, then repeat with another 250 ml of fresh boiling water.
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Clean the pot, then combine the final 250 ml water with caster sugar and cinnamon. When the sugar dissolves, add the blanched orange pieces and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, until syrup evaporates and the fruit becomes sticky. Avoid stirring too much while candying.
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Once the syrup has mostly evaporated, transfer the candied pieces to a cooling rack to firm and cool.
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Arrange the candied orange slices and peel strips atop the glazed cake just before serving.
Notes
- Place the cooled loaf on a rack over a tray when glazing to catch drips and allow you to reuse excess glaze.
- For candied peel strips, remove both zest and the white pith in a single thick piece, then slice into thin strips before candying.
Nutrition (per serving)