Blackberry and Honeycomb Brittle Cake

Blackberry and Honeycomb Brittle Cake Blackberry and Honeycomb Brittle Cake

A wonderfully soft vanilla honey cake, filled with blackberry jam frosting and topped with sweet, crispy honeycomb brittle.

I became completely obsessed with the “Sweet as Honey” ice cream at Ample Hills last summer. Not only did it invade my dreams, but it also sparked a honeycomb frenzy in my kitchen. Salad with added crunch? Sure! Truffles, cookies, bacon, smoothies—why not? And of course, cake. That’s how this cake was born. I made a golden, honey-sweetened cake with a touch of orange zest, then topped it with a cloud-like mascarpone frosting laced with a hint of elderflower liqueur. Half of the frosting was blended with a bit of blackberry jam, and the whole thing was crowned with as much honeycomb as I could pile on.

Blackberry and Honeycomb Cake

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How to Make Blackberry and Honeycomb Brittle Cake


1. Preheat the Oven:

  • Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans and set them aside.

2. Prepare the Wet Ingredients:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and Greek yogurt, then set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter on medium speed until it becomes silky and smooth, about 4-5 minutes.
  • Add the honey and continue to beat for another 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest, beating just until combined.

3. Incorporate the Eggs:

  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop to scrape down the bowl after each addition.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients:

  • In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Mix the Batter:

  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Alternating in thirds, fold the milk mixture and the dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a spatula. Be careful not to overmix—fold just until combined.

6. Bake the Cakes:

  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Run a knife through the batter to remove any air bubbles, then drop the pans from a few inches above the counter to further eliminate bubbles.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch closely toward the end of baking as the honey can cause the cakes to brown quickly.

7. Cool the Cakes:

  • Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edges, then invert the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Prepare the Frosting:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the elderflower liqueur and beat for an additional 30 seconds.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Fold the mascarpone into the whipped cream mixture until fully combined.
  • In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the cream mixture with the blackberry jam and set aside.

9. Assemble the Cake:

  • Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread the blackberry mixture on top, leaving about 1/2 inch (1.3cm) between the filling and the edge to prevent it from oozing out.
  • Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining mascarpone frosting over the top.

10. Prepare the Honeycomb Brittle:

  • Coat a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, and water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer.
  • Remove from heat and quickly stir in the baking soda with a whisk. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let it cool completely before breaking into pieces.

11. Garnish and Serve:

  • Sprinkle the honeycomb brittle over the frosted cake. For the best presentation, garnish the cake just before serving.

Recipe Notes

  • Storage: This cake is best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep it tightly wrapped to prevent it from drying out.
  • Honeycomb Tip: The honeycomb will start to melt if left on the cake for too long. Add it just before serving, or sprinkle it on each slice as you serve.
  • Ingredient Temperature: Make sure all ingredients labeled as “room temperature” are actually at room temperature for the best results.
  • Frosting Sweetness: The frosting is intentionally not overly sweet to balance the sweetness of the cake. Feel free to add 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar if you prefer a sweeter frosting.

Blackberry and Honeycomb Cake

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Blackberry and Honeycomb Brittle Cake

Blackberry and Honeycomb Brittle Cake


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Alyssa Ponticello
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings 1x

Description

A wonderfully soft vanilla honey cake, filled with blackberry jam frosting and topped with sweet, crispy honeycomb brittle.


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cake:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (225g)
  • 1 cup honey (340g)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour (or 1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour sifted with 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cornstarch) (280g)
  • 1/4 cup milk (2% or higher) (60ml)
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain or vanilla (120g)
  • Zest of 1 small orange

For the Frosting and Filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (360ml)
  • 8 ounces mascarpone (225g)
  • 2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur (such as St. Germain, or use vanilla extract) (30ml)
  • 3 tablespoons blackberry jam (45g)

For the Honeycomb Brittle:

  • Vegetable oil, cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar (300g)
  • 1/4 cup honey (85g)
  • 1/4 cup water (60ml)
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:

  • Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans and set them aside.

2. Prepare the Wet Ingredients:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and Greek yogurt, then set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter on medium speed until it becomes silky and smooth, about 4-5 minutes.
  • Add the honey and continue to beat for another 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest, beating just until combined.

3. Incorporate the Eggs:

  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop to scrape down the bowl after each addition.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients:

  • In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Mix the Batter:

  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Alternating in thirds, fold the milk mixture and the dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a spatula. Be careful not to overmix—fold just until combined.

6. Bake the Cakes:

  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Run a knife through the batter to remove any air bubbles, then drop the pans from a few inches above the counter to further eliminate bubbles.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch closely toward the end of baking as the honey can cause the cakes to brown quickly.

7. Cool the Cakes:

  • Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edges, then invert the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Prepare the Frosting:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the elderflower liqueur and beat for an additional 30 seconds.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Fold the mascarpone into the whipped cream mixture until fully combined.
  • In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the cream mixture with the blackberry jam and set aside.

9. Assemble the Cake:

  • Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread the blackberry mixture on top, leaving about 1/2 inch (1.3cm) between the filling and the edge to prevent it from oozing out.
  • Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining mascarpone frosting over the top.

10. Prepare the Honeycomb Brittle:

  • Coat a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, and water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer.
  • Remove from heat and quickly stir in the baking soda with a whisk. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let it cool completely before breaking into pieces.

11. Garnish and Serve:

  • Sprinkle the honeycomb brittle over the frosted cake. For the best presentation, garnish the cake just before serving.

Notes

  • Storage: This cake is best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep it tightly wrapped to prevent it from drying out.
  • Honeycomb Tip: The honeycomb will start to melt if left on the cake for too long. Add it just before serving, or sprinkle it on each slice as you serve.
  • Ingredient Temperature: Make sure all ingredients labeled as “room temperature” are actually at room temperature for the best results.
  • Frosting Sweetness: The frosting is intentionally not overly sweet to balance the sweetness of the cake. Feel free to add 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar if you prefer a sweeter frosting.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 60 mins
  • Category: Dessert, Cake, Baking
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 480
  • Sugar: 28g
  • Sodium: 320mg
  • Fat: 28g
  • Saturated Fat: 16g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 52g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 6g
  • Cholesterol: 152mg

 

What do YOU think? Leave a comment! (6) What do YOU think? Leave a comment! (6)
  1. Wow, this cake looks amazing! I’ve been borderline crazy for honey lately — never made honeycomb, but since my fixation is three-quarters of the way there — I might as well go the extra distance and try it! I recently made a nougat ice cream that is so honey-licious I had to fend the rest of the family off with a spoon! That will post on my blog in the next month or so… Your blackberry and honeycomb cake will keep me busy until then! Ciao!






    1. Thanks so much Lisa! You should definitely make honeycomb, for this cake or just for snacking, or both :) It’s so much easier than it sounds! So can’t wait to hear what you think of the cake and I’m definitely going to be on the look out for that nougat ice cream on your site…it sounds crazy delicious and I can’t say no to ice cream :)

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