Easy Brown Butter Honey Cake (The Best Grain-Free Treat!)
This Easy Brown Butter Honey Cake is a moist, grain-free with rich, toasty flavor. It travels well and tastes even better the second day.
The Discovery of the Original Honey Cake Recipe
When my daughter was little, we checked a book out from the library called Apple Cake. It is such a sweet little story of thankfulness.
And at the end there’s a recipe for apple cake! It’s been one of our favorites ever since. But, I admit, I’ve never made that recipe to a T.
First of all, we never bothered with the apples. I’m sure they are delicious, but it seemed like a lot of rigmarole when all we wanted was a plain old honey cake.
Secondly, I eliminated the extra steps and the extra bowls and made it into a one bowl creation.
This year, however, I browned the butter beforehand.
This one extra step really adds a whole new depth of flavor! It’s worth making another little saucepan dirty.
This also fits just fine in a regular square or round cake pan, but we love to put it in some fancy molds or a bundt cake pan.
The honey sauce is also optional, but it really makes it feel so much more fancy, delicious, and moist.
Whipped cream obviously is optional, but not optional in my house. It’s turning colder where I live, pulling something warm and sweet out of the oven is becoming much more common than it was in the hot summer, and whipped cream is made almost daily.
Whether you need an easy dessert for a slow Sunday, a naturally-sweet treat for the kids, or something simple to share with a friend, this cake is one of those recipes that we even feel good about eating for breakfast.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
- Naturally sweetened with honey
- Gluten-free & grain-free (almond flour base)
- One bowl + one small saucepan
- Deep, toasty brown butter flavor
- Moist and tender with no special tools
- Perfect for gatherings, brunch, or afternoon tea/snack
- Can easily be made in muffin tins for more wholesome cupcakes
Tips for the Best Texture
- Use fine almond flour (not almond meal) for the softest crumb. This is the brand I use.
- Brown the butter deeply, but don’t burn it — golden with little toasted specks is perfect.
- Let the cake rest 10 minutes before slicing so it holds together beautifully.
Try Adding Seasonal Flavor Variations
- A teaspoon of vanilla
- A sprinkle of ground cinnamon
- A handful of chopped pecans
- Orange zest or nutmeg in the batter for seasonal variations
- Apples slices in the pan before you pour the batter in
- A pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the glaze
How to Serve This Easy Grain-Free Cake
This cake is best slightly warm, with:
- Softly whipped cream
- A drizzle of extra honey
- Berries or sliced pears
- Hot tea or coffee
It also works beautifully as a simple birthday cake or cupcakes for someone who prefers natural sweetness.
How to Store This Cake
- Room temperature: 2–3 days, covered
- Refrigerator: 5 days, airtight container
- Freezer: 2–3 months (slice before freezing for easy grab-and-go treats)
Make It for…
- A cozy weeknight dessert
- Afternoon tea with neighbors
- A wholesome treat for kids
- A holiday brunch
- A postpartum meal-train gift
It travels well, stays moist, and tastes even better the second day, even cold.
So, without further ado, I share with you my browned butter grain-free honey cake recipe:
How To Make Easy Brown Butter Honey Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup butter, browned
- 3 cups almond flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Honey Butter Glaze
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven.
- Set the oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. Prepare your baking dish
- Grease an 8×8 baking dish, bundt cake pan, loaf pan, or muffin tins.
3. Brown the butter
- Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Let it melt, bubble, foam, and turn golden, swirling occasionally. Be careful not to burn.
- When it smells nutty and caramel-rich, remove from heat and cool slightly.
How to Brown Butter (Easy Step-By-Step):
1. Use unsalted butter if possible — it foams less.
2. A light or stainless-steel pan helps you see the color changes better.
(Dark pans make it harder to tell when it’s ready.)
3. Place the butter over medium heat.
It will melt, bubble and foam. All normal!
4. After the foaming stage, you’ll see the butter turn from pale yellow, to deeper golden, and then tiny brown specks begin forming on the bottom.
5. It will look, sound and smell different.
This is the moment to stay close! Brown butter can burn quickly.
6. Once the butter is golden with amber brown flecks, pull it off the heat.
Give it a gentle swirl.
7. If you’re not using it immediately, pour the browned butter (including the brown bits!) into a heat-proof bowl so it doesn’t continue cooking in the hot pan. Cool before adding eggs.
4. Combine the wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together:
- eggs
- honey
- warm browned butter
- Mix until smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients
- Sprinkle over the top of the wet mixture:
- baking soda
- salt
- almond flour
6. Mix everything together
- Stir until just combined. A thick, even batter will form.
7. Bake the cake
- Spread the batter into your greased dish.
- Bake for 40 minutes (20 for muffins), or until the top is golden and the center feels set.
8. Make the glaze (optional)
- In a small pan, melt the honey and butter together.
- Bring to a gentle boil, stirring as it bubbles for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly.
9. Serve
- Spoon the warm honey glaze over the cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.
- Serve with whipped cream if you want to make it extra special.
- Serve warm or refrigerate for later. It’s great warm or cold!
FAQ: Easy Brown Butter Honey Cake
Easy Brown Butter Honey Cake Recipe
Equipment
- small saucepan
- mixing bowl
- cake pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup butter browned
- 3 cups almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Set the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Grease an 8×8 baking dish, bundt cake pan, loaf pan, or muffin tins.
- Brown the butter: Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Let it melt, bubble, foam, and turn golden, swirling occasionally. Be careful not to burn.
- When it smells nutty and caramel-rich, remove from heat and cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, honey, warm browned butter together.
- Mix until smooth.
- Sprinkle dry ingredients over the top of the wet mixture: baking soda, salt, almond flour
- Stir until just combined. A thick, even batter will form.
- Spread the batter into your greased dish.
- Bake for 40 minutes (20 for muffins), or until the top is golden and the center feels set.
- Make the glaze (optional): In a small pan, melt the honey and butter together.
- Bring to a gentle boil, stirring as it bubbles for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Spoon the warm honey glaze over the cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.
- Serve with whipped cream if you want to make it extra special.
- Serve warm or refrigerate for later. It’s great warm or cold!
Nutrition
This recipe doesn’t require fancy tools — just some simple basic supplies and a few real ingredients that make your home smell incredible.
If you make this cake, I’d love to see it. Share your photo with @maxon.made on Instagram!
For another hearty, protein-rich and grain free sweet treat, check out my Honey-Nut Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!
Pin It For Later
I think this would make an excellent holiday brunch treat! What do you think?
I love how easy this recipe is to make when my gluten free family members come to visit. Thank you so much!
I hope you all enjoy it!
I love this! This would go perfect with our Christmas and Easter traditions!
Yes! ❤️
This cake has me drooling! Perfect cozy treat.
Awesome! Yes!