Honey Chamomile Cake

Are you looking for a cake to make this Mother’s Day? Learn how to make this elegant Honey Chamomile Cake. 

This Honey Chamomile Cake is made with moist honey chamomile cake layers zested with lemon, soaked with a chamomile syrup filled with honey lemon buttercream. The cake is completed with a garnish of fresh chamomile flowers. 

The cake layers are made with chamomile tea steeped in hot water that we’ll mix with whole milk and lemon juice to create a soft, delicate cake. The chamomile and honey are brought together perfectly with fresh lemon zest. 

I’ll walk you through how to make this honey lemon buttercream that’s bright and creamy. The best part is the delicate chamomile flowers that are perfectly placed in a modern style. 

This cake is sweet and delicate that’s perfect for spring gatherings, Mother’s Day, or even baby showers! 

Tips for success:

• Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this cake.
• A single batch of this cake recipe makes three 6-inch round cake layers or two 8-inch round cake layers. Double the cake recipe to make enough cake batter for three 8-inch cake layers.
• You can bake the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month. 
• You can make the buttercream a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. Then take them out to come back to room temperature. Make sure the buttercream is at room temperature before re-whipping; if needed, add heavy cream.
• Serve the cake at room temperature. To get clean cuts of cake, run hot water over a sharp knife, wipe clean after each slice. Reheat the blade as needed. 

What Tools You’ll Need to Make This Cake: 

• 5-quart, Stand Mixer with mixing bowl, paddle attachment
• 3, 6-inch cake pans or 2, 8-inch cake pans
• Offset spatula 
• 8-inch or 10-inch white cake board 
• Serrated knife or cake leveler 
• Turntable 
• Cake scraper or bench scraper
• Whisk or sifter
• Rubber Spatula
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray and Parchment Paper
• Ice Cream Scooper with Trigger Release (for dividing cake batter evenly)
• Mixing bowls (small & medium)
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Piping bags, optional
• Squeeze Bottle 
• Cake Stand, optional
• Fresh chamomile flowers (can be found at your local florist)

Here’s how to make this simply elegant Honey Chamomile Cake! 

Let’s Get Baking! 

Honey Chamomile Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk and stir together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 
3. Steep two chamomile tea bags in hot water and let sit for 5 minutes.  
4. In the stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium-high for 5 minutes.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time to the stand mixer bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated.
6. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix chamomile tea, whole milk, and lemon juice. Set aside. 
7. Turn the mixer on low and add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then add milk mixture. Add in the remaining flour mixture and until fully incorporated. 
8. Add lemon zest. Mix on medium for another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
9. Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three cake pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
10. Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and place them into the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes to one hour (or overnight). 

Honey Lemon Buttercream 

1. In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Turn the mixer to low and add the honey, salt, and vanilla. 
3. Next, gradually add powdered sugar, followed by the cream and lemon zest. Mix on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
4. Before using, turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles, or use a rubber spatula to push out the air bubbles. (You may need to repeat this step when frosting the outside of the cake). 

Chamomile Simple Syrup

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium heat. Continue to heat for 5 minutes until the sugar has fully dissolved. 
2. Remove from heat and add 2 chamomile tea bags. Steep for 5-7 minutes. 
3. Set aside to cool and pour into a squeeze bottle.

Putting It All Together

1. Remove the cake layers from the freezer and unwrap the cake layers. Next, use a serrated knife to cut off the dome of the cakes to make the layers flat and even. 
2. Add a small amount of buttercream onto the center of the cake board. Layer one honey chamomile cake, cut side up onto the cake board. Soak each layer (top and bottom) with the chamomile syrup. (Note: the step of soaking the cake layers in chamomile syrup wasn’t captured in the video tutorial below, so be sure to soak the cakes to get that chamomile flavor). 
3. Add a 2/3 cup of honey lemon buttercream over the cake using an offset spatula to spread buttercream and make it even. 
4. Place another cake layer cut side down over the top. Repeat the process for another layer — Crumb coat with honey lemon buttercream and freeze for 30 minutes. 
5. Add a thicker layer of buttercream to the cold cake. Start from the top, making the top as smooth. Then frost over the top edge about ½ inch, leaving a rough (or raw edge) of buttercream—smooth the sides with a cake scraper. 
6. Rotate between the offset spatula and cake scraper to make the sides as smooth as possible. 
7. Pick and insert the chamomile flowers into the sides of the cake. I created an asymmetrical look putting flowers in the top right corner and bottom left corner. Have fun adding the flowers in any way that you want. 
8. Serve the cake at room temperature and enjoy! 

You May Also Enjoy: 

• Bee Mine Honey Lemon Cake (recipe)
• How to Decorate Your First Cake (free course)
• Cake Decorating for Beginners (masterclass)  

I’m so excited to see your Honey Chamomile Cake creations. Please tag me on Instagram or Pinterest @xokatierosario to be featured. 

Please feel free to email me here at xokatierosario@gmail.com with any questions you may have; I’ll be happy to help! 

Happy Decorating! 

P.S. Hey, if you liked this tutorial, you really should check out Cake Decorating for Beginners, my signature masterclass. I coach you on everything I teach on these cake tutorials on a deeper level so that you can uplevel your baking and decorating skills. We 10x it to get the results you want most impressive cakes that your friends and family will love. Like any new skill, it’s essential to learn from the ground up to build a foundation so that you can take on any cake challenge. It is an investment your future self will thank you for. Check it out at XOKatieRosario.com/cake-masterclass. I will see you there! 

 

Watch The How-to Video Below: 

 

 

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