A simple, rich Southern dessert sweetened with local honey and finished with a carmelized sugar crust.

Why You’ll Love This Honey Butter Pound Cake

What’s with me and all these pound cake recipes? I guess pound cakes beget pound cakes. Apparently that's all I’ve been thinking about lately. Well—maybe it’s not just the cake. It’s this batch of fresh, local honey I picked up from a farm down the road!

This honey is a local gem. The farmer that I bought it from told me the color was darker than usual this year because his bees feed heavily on the privet hedge bloom—and it didn’t bloom this year due to the unusually wet spring we’ve had in Central Alabama. It’s been the rainiest stretch I can remember! The blooms weren’t present to lighten up the honey, and honestly? I’m not mad about it. This darker honey is so rich and flavorful that I bought 10 jars. I’ve basically got a honey stockpile now…and I’m not mad about that either. I can do things like make cakes with extra honey.

This isn’t your average pound cake—it’s a warm, buttery beauty with deep flavor, golden color, and a crisp sugar top that crackles when you slice into it. Sweetened with fresh local honey, this cake delivers Southern comfort in every bite. It’s rich but not too heavy, simple enough for everyday baking, and fancy enough for gifting at the holidays.

Whether you’re baking for a family gathering, a church potluck, or just a quiet afternoon with coffee on the porch, this pound cake hits every sweet spot.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Cake:

ingredients for honey butter Pound Cake with Cracked Sugar top, a rich, sweet Southern pound cake using local Alabama honey

3 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup honey (local honey if possible!)
1 cup granulated sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons almond extract (optional)
3 cups cake flour (like Swan’s Down cake flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (room temperature)

For the Cracked Sugar Top:

3 tablespoons raw sugar (like Turbinado)
Optional: pinch of cinnamon for added flavor—if you’re feelin’ it!

How to Make Honey Butter Pound Cake

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 325 F. Generously grease and flour a Bundt pan or loaf pan (I prefer spraying my pans with Baker’s Joy No-Stick Baking Spray. It’s so much faster and yields better results).

Step 2: Cream the Butter, Honey & Sugar

Cream together the butter, honey, and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy—about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to ensure even mixing.

creaming together butter, sugar, and honey with Kitchenaid electric mixer for honey butter Pound Cake with Cracked Sugar top — **Ok this already looks delectable!**

Step 3: Add eggs & Extracts

Add eggs one at a time, beating just until incorporated. Mix in vanilla and almond extract.

Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients & Buttermilk

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add this to your batter in three parts, alternating with buttermilk and ending with flour. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed to ensure all ingredients are mixed. Mix until just combined—don’t overmix.

honey butter Pound Cake batter using local honey poured into a Bundt pan

Step 5: Sugar the Pan

Before pouring the cake batter into your prepared pan, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sugar into the bottom of your greased pan. This creates a crunchy, carmelized top when the cake is release from the pan and flipped over.

raw Turbinado sugar being poured into a Bundt pan for honey butter Pound Cake

Ra Turbinado sugar poured into bottom of Bundt pan, which will yield a carmelized crust of cracked sugar when released from pan — **Now this looks like the start of something amazing!**

Step 6: Bake & Cool

Bake at 325 F for 75 to 85 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire baking rack for an hour before flipping the pan over and releasing the cake. Remember: if you slap the top of your pan after flipping it over, your cake always seems to release better. It keeps it from sticking! Trust me!

southern honey butter Pound Cake cooling on wire rack while still in Bundt pan

Step 7: Slice & Serve

Let the cake cool completely before slicing. Serve the cake on its own or with a drizzle of that glorious, amber local honey and a dollop of whipped cream.

rich, buttery, sweet honey butter pound Cake with Cracked sugar top, sliced and drizzled with honey

Tips for the Best Honey Butter Pound Cake

Use real honey—local is best! The floral notes really shine through in the flavor.
Room temp everything—eggs, butter, and buttermilk mix more evenly at room temperature and create a tender crumb.
Don’t Skip the Sugar Crust—the coarse, raw sugar crust marries beautifully with the floral honey notes of this cake. It creates a beautiful caramelized crust that sets this cake apart!
Add a pinch of cinnamon—or maybe more than just a pinch—to give this cake a more warm and cozy holidays/fall feel.

Serving Suggestions

Top with a little extra drizzle of warm honey.
Add whipped cream and fresh berries. You’ll never regret that decision. Ever.
Serve with tea or coffee for a cozy afternoon treat.
Wrap slices of this cake for a sweet homemade gift!

More Southern-Inspired Recipes to Try

Do you want to try your hand at more rich & buttery Southern desserts? Give these a try!

Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Strawberries

Southern Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

Honey Butter Pound Cake with Cracked Sugar Top

Want more quick and easy recipes like this one?