Honey Orange Snack Cake is the perfect treat to combat the winter blues. Bright citrus combined with fruity and floral honey makes this a great side dish for a hot cup of tea! Plus, it is refined sugar-free and a delicious cake for two!
Vanilla Honey Orange Cake
When you think of honey and orange, you may think of ingredients to fight the common cold. And while that may be true, I don’t want to mislead you to reach for a slice of Honey Orange Snack Cake if you start to get the sniffles! Rather, the flavors are a natural pairing. Add in a hefty dose of vanilla, and you have yourself a mini snack cake that will leave you coming back for more.
Mini Honey Orange Snack Cake
Don’t let the name fool you. Even though the Honey Orange Snack Cake is mini, it packs a strong flavor punch. And the fact that it is sweetened with honey makes restraining yourself to one slice almost impossible.
The first flavor you get when you bite into a slice is the orange. Accompanied by the fact that the citrus aroma hits you first. The fresh orange juice and zest give the cake a bright, natural flavor. Next is the vanilla. The flavor is warm and almost buttery, which makes it a perfect balance for the citrus.
Last but not least is the honey. Not only does it sweeten the cake, but honey has a delicate fruity and floral flavor. Rounding out the flavors of this cake in perfect harmony.
Making a Cake in a Loaf Pan
One of the most versatile tools for making small batch desserts is your loaf pan. A 9×5 loaf pan is a must-have in your kitchen. I use mine all the time for small batch cakes, brownies, and cheesecake.
Another great tip for using a loaf pan to make a cake is lining it with parchment paper to create a ‘sling’. The paper sling makes lifting your treats out of the pan easier. Because the loaf pan has higher sides than your typical cake pan, inverting the pan to get your bakes to drop may not be as easy. Making the parchment sling is always my first step because I don’t want to leave anything to chance when getting my deliciousness out of the pan!
More Desserts Made in a Loaf Pan
Honey Orange Snack Cake
Equipment
- 1 – 9×5-Inch Loaf Pan
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 3 fresh orange slices (reserve the remaining orange for juice and zest)
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup honey (plus more for brushing the orange slices)
- 3 tablespoons milk, any kind
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper – long enough to overhang the long sides of the pan. Lightly grease the loaf pan and paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small mixing bowl, or in your liquid measuring cup, add the honey, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, milk, and egg. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the wet ingredients, along with the melted butter, to the dry ingredients. Gently fold the batter together until no dry streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top the batter with the orange slices and lightly brush the orange slices with honey.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then gently lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper sling, and cool completely on the wire rack.