Hilda’s Honey Crumble Cake

Option 1: Layered Honey Crumble

Ingredients:

Honey Crumble

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3 Tbsp honey

Honey Cake Layers

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup honey
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Honey Cream Filling

8 oz cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups cold heavy cream

Instructions:

Make Honey Crumble

1. Mix dry ingredients
-In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

2. Cut in butter
-Add cold butter cubes.
-Use fingers or a fork to work butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form with some pea-sized pieces.

3. Add honey
-Drizzle honey over the mixture.
-Gently toss until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.

4. Bake crumble
-Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
-Spread crumble evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
-Bake 12–15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden brown.

5. Cool
-Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
-Crumble will crisp as it cools.
-Set aside ½ cup for decorating.

Make Honey Cake Layers

6. Prepare pans
-Grease three 8-inch round cake pans.
-Line bottoms with parchment paper.
-Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

7. Cream butter, honey, and sugar
-In a large bowl, beat butter, honey, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

8. Add eggs
-Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

9. Add wet ingredients
-Mix in sour cream (or yogurt) and vanilla until smooth.

10. Mix dry ingredients
-In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.

11. Combine
-Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two additions.
-Fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix.

12. Bake layers
-Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
-Bake 20–25 minutes, until tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

13. Cool layers
-Cool in pans 10 minutes.
-Turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.

Make Honey Cream Filling

14. Beat base
-In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, honey, and vanilla until smooth.

15. Add cream
-With mixer on low, slowly pour in heavy cream.
-Increase speed to medium and whip until soft, spreadable peaks form.

Assemble Cake

16. First layer
-Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
-Spread one-third of honey cream evenly over the top.
-Sprinkle about ¼ cup honey crumble over the cream.

17. Second layer
-Add second cake layer and press gently.
-Repeat cream and crumble.

18. Final layer
-Place final cake layer on top.
-Spread remaining honey cream thinly over the top and sides.

19. Decorate
-Press reserved crumble onto the top and lightly onto the sides.
-Drizzle lightly with warm honey if desired.

Chill & Serve

20. Chill
-Refrigerate at least 1 hour before slicing.
-Overnight chilling improves flavor and texture.

21. Serve
-Slice with a sharp knife, wiping blade clean between cuts.
-Serve chilled or slightly cool.

Option 2: Traditional Honey Crumble

Ingredients:

Cake

4 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup honey
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

Crumb Topping

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup oil

Instructions:

Prepare Cake Batter

  1. Preheat oven
    -Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
    -Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan well and set aside.
  2. Mix wet ingredients
    -In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, granulated sugar, honey, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract.
    -Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  3. Add dry ingredients and milk
    -Add half of the flour to the batter and whisk until combined.
    -Whisk in the milk.
    -Add the remaining flour and whisk until smooth.
  4. Fill pan
    -Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan.
    -Set aside while preparing the crumb topping.

Prepare Crumb Topping

  1. Make crumbs
    -In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
    -Add oil and stir until coarse crumbs form.

Assemble and Bake

  1. Add crumbs
    -Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the cake batter, covering the surface completely.
  2. Bake
    -Bake for 60–70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  3. Cool and serve
    -Allow cake to cool in the pan before slicing.
    -Serve warm or at room temperature.