Orange Ginger Honey Cakes

Orange Ginger Honey Cakes are the perfect winter citrus cake for sharing. The mix of warm ginger and bright orange gives each bite a cozy, citrusy flavor, while honey and brown butter make them extra moist and rich. Simple to make and easy to wrap up for gifts, serve these 4 mini-loaves with a little butter or a drizzle of honey.

Perfectly Sized Cakes for Gifting

These honey cakes are inspired by my mother, the quintessential southern lady who gives baked goods as gifts for holidays, birthdays, new neighbors, or just because. She doesn’t simply wrap a cake in foil, she packages each treat with care, adding decorations and thoughtful touches. I’ve watched her bake eight cakes at a time, top them with icing, berries, or holly leaves, wrap each one individually in clear plastic, tie them with homemade bows, and deliver them door to door with a genuine smile. Receiving one of her gifts feels like getting a little bundle of joy.

For my own take on these honey cakes, I baked mini loaves to gift to friends (don’t judge my simpler holiday packaging too harshly). The flavors of browned butter, ginger, and orange give them a rich, cozy warmth that’s a bit different from your typical spice cake. They’re perfect for a chilly morning with coffee or an evening by the fire. My advice? Bake all four, gift three, and keep one for yourself, you deserve it!

Key Ingredients & Test Notes

• All-Purpose Flour: Builds the structure of the honey cakes while keeping them tender and light. I like to use a standard all-purpose flour with a slightly lower protein (10–11%).
  • Test Note: Weighing flour is best, too much flour can make the cakes dense, too little and they may not hold their shape.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents give the cakes their lift and soft texture. The combination helps balance the honey’s density.
  • Test Note: Make sure your baking powder is fresh; old leavening can result in flatter cakes.
• Fresh Ginger & Orange Zest: Provide bright, zesty warmth and a hint of spice that makes these honey cakes stand out.
  • Test Note: Fresh ginger fives a bit more zing than powdered. I prefer to peel the ginger before grating it.
• Browned Butter: Adds a deep, nutty richness that complements the honey and spices.
  • Test Note: Watch the butter carefully; remove from heat as soon as it turns golden brown to avoid burning.
• Honey: Sweetens naturally and keeps the cakes moist.
  • Test Note: Use a mild-flavored honey for balance; strong honeys can overpower the ginger and orange notes.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to a light, tender crumb.
  • Test Note: Bring eggs to room temperature to ensure a smooth batter and even baking.
• Milk & Orange Juice: Add moisture and a subtle tang, keeping the cakes soft while enhancing the orange flavor.
  • Test Note: Whole milk adds richness, but you can use any milk you have on hand.
• Granulated Sugar: Balances the honey’s natural sweetness and helps with browning.

How to Make Honey Cakes

1. Prep pans and oven: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and grease four 6-inch mini loaf pans with nonstick spray or butter and flour.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and orange zest.
3. Brown the butter: Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring until foamy and the milk solids turn golden brown. Pour into a mixing bowl and let cool to room temperature.
4. Combine wet ingredients: Add honey, orange juice, milk, sugar, and lightly beaten eggs to the browned butter. Mix on medium speed until smooth.
5. Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on medium speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
6. Divide and bake: Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pans. Place pans on a baking sheet and bake for 28–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover with foil halfway through if the tops brown too quickly.
7. Cool and enjoy: Let the mini loaves cool completely in the pans before removing. Serve as-is or with a smear of butter for extra indulgence.

Leftovers & Storage

• Room temperature: Once completely cooled, store honey cakes in a cool, dry spot for up to one week. Make sure they are covered or in an airtight container to keep moisture and humidity from affecting them.
• Refrigerator: For longer storage, wrap each cake individually in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.
• Freezer: Honey cakes can easily be frozen. Wrap them tightly in two layers of plastic wrap or place in an airtight container, and store for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.

More Citrus Cakes to Try

Glazed Vanilla Orange Loaf CakeLemon and Raspberry CupcakesStrawberry Lemonade Cake

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Orange Ginger Honey Cakes

By Jenn Davis

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Yield: 4 mini loaves

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Orange Ginger Honey Cakes made with brown butter, orange juice, orange zest, fresh honey, and ground ginger. Rich Holiday cakes to give as gifts!

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Equipment

• 4 6-inch mini-loaf pans

Ingredients

• ▢ 250 grams (2 cups) all purpose flour
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, *or 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest, *zest of one orange
• ▢ 113 grams (½ cups) unsalted butter, browned *see notes
• ▢ 270 grams (¾ cup) honey
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• ▢ 125 grams (½ cup) whole milk
• ▢ 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃) and prepare four 6-inch mini loaf pans. (spray with non-stick spray or a thin coating of butter and flour.)
• In a medium bowl, hand whisk together sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and orange zest.
  250 grams all purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
• Brown your butter by placing in a small skillet on medium heat. Stir until butter is melted. Continue to stir and heat until butter is foamy and brownish in color.
  113 grams unsalted butter
• Pour the warm brown butter into the bowl of stand mixer. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Next, add the honey, orange juice, milk, sugar, and slightly beaten eggs into the mixing bowl with the browned butter.
  270 grams honey, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 125 grams whole milk, 2 large eggs, 50 grams granulated sugar
• Mix on medium speed using the paddle attachment until smooth.
• Slowly spoon in flour mixture on medium speed until a cake batter is formed. (scrape sides and bottom of bowl to incorporate all ingredients.
• Divide batter amongst the four pans.
• Place pans on cookie sheet and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (Cover loaves with a sheet of aluminum foil halfway through baking to prevent over browning.)
• Place pans on cooling rack to completely cool before removing.

Notes

Baking Pans

• • Place your mini cake pans on a cookie sheet in the oven.

• • Use four 6 inch mini loaf pans. Try these mini loaf pans.

Honey

Quality honey will give the best flavor. Try local honey or pure honey from the store. 

Brown Butter

Allow browned butter to cool to room temperature before mixing with additional ingredients. 

To make brown butter (also called beurre noisette), simply place your butter in a light colored skillet so you can see the color change and cook on medium heat. First the butter will start to foam as it melts, then it will slowly change from a golden hue to a darker more toasty brown color. It should start to give off a nutty aroma as it browns.

Remove your brown butter from the heat and put in heat safe bowl to let it cool.

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