Honey Cupcakes with luscious honey buttercream frosting make a delicious unexpected dessert treat. Beautiful pale yellow fluffy cupcakes highlight honey as the star ingredient!
Honey cupcakes with honey buttercream frosting have the rich and sweet flavors of honey. These cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and infused with the distinct taste of honey, making them perfect for honey lovers.
Once the cupcakes are baked to golden perfection, they are topped with a luxurious honey buttercream frosting. The honey buttercream can be piped or spread generously onto the cooled cupcakes.
The cupcakes have a soft and moist crumb with a subtle honey flavor, while the honey buttercream frosting adds a rich, creamy sweetness that complements the cupcakes perfectly.
If desired you can add edible flowers, lemon zest or a drizzle of honey as a final topping to this honey cupcake recipe!
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Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Whole Milk. We’ve used whole dairy milk for the higher fat content which keeps the cupcakes moist. Any milk should work (though we have not tested lower fat dairy milk or plant milks in the recipe).
- Vegetable oil. This is used in the cupcakes and adds moistness to the cupcakes.
- Honey. You’ll use honey both in the cupcake batter and the buttercream frosting. Choose a neutral honey flavor unless you have a particular flavor of honey you love then use that! Using fresh local honey is a great choice.
- Eggs. You’ll need two large eggs. Eggs bind the ingredients and create structure for the cupcakes.
- Granulated sugar. Though honey is used for sweetening and flavor the granulated sugar adds the depth of sweetness you’ll want for the cupcakes.
- All purpose flour. Regular all-purpose flour or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend can be used. For gluten-free baking we use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend. Be sure to spoon the flour into a measuring cup instead of scooping it with the measuring cup. This ensures not adding more flour which will make the cupcakes dense.
- Unsalted butter. A half cup of unsalted butter is used in the frosting. Start with softened or room temperature butter for the best blending results and no lumps in the buttercream frosting. See the caption under the ingredient photo below about salted vs unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar). This will be used to make the honey buttercream frosting.
How to Make it
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.
STEP 2. Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, vegetable oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla (photo 1). Add the granulated sugar and whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients: flour and baking powder (photo 2). Mix just until no large lumps of flour remain.
STEP 3. Fill and bake
Divide the cake batter between the muffin tins, filling each paper liners ⅔ of the way full (photo 3).
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
STEP 4. Cool
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place on a wire rack and cool completely before making the buttercream frosting.
STEP 5. Make the honey frosting and frost
Combine the softened butter and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (photo 4). Beat on medium speed until well combined (about 30 seconds) (photo 5).
With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
When mixed in turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy (photo 6).
Transfer the buttercream to a pastry bag (piping bag) fitted with your choice of tip and frost the cupcakes as desired.
NOTE: the amount of frosting will allow piping a small swirl of frosting which is really all these cupcakes need. If you want lots of frosting, double the frosting portion of the recipe.
Pro Tips
- Spoon don’t scoop the flour. Spooning flour into a measuring cup prevents it from being over measured which can happen when scooping. Adding too much flour through scooping will create a dense cupcake.
- Don’t overmix the cupcake batter. This will make the batter dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Start with room temperature butter. If not the buttercream frosting will have lumps and not fully combine smoothly.
- Don’t overfill the cupcake tins (muffin pan). Only fill the cavities 2/3’s full.
- Fully cool the cupcakes before frosting. If not the frosting will melt.
How to Store
Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3-4 days. The flavor will be best if the cupcakes warm at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Raw honey usually turns solid. It may be used but would need to be liquified first. This can be done by placing the glass bottle in some warm water or removing some of the honey into a microwaveable bowl and microwaving it briefly.
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Recipe
Honey Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Honey Cupcakes
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Honey Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Honey Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 12 muffin cavities with paper baking liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract.½ cup whole milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup honey, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the sugar and whisk to combine.¾ cup granulated sugar
- Add the flour and baking powder. Mix just until no large lumps of flour remain.1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared muffin cavities, filling each one ⅔ of the way full. DO NOT OVERFILL.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Place on a wire rack and cool completely before making the buttercream frosting.
Honey Buttercream Frosting
- Place the softened butter and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well combined (about 30 seconds).1/2 cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup honey
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla.2 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip and frost the cupcakes as desired. Or spread the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.
Natasha says
These cupcakes were moist, fluffy and not super sweet! We all enjoyed the cupcakes!
April says
These were amazing! Not overly sweet, but perfectly flavored and the buttercream was to die for.
Ned says
These were pure delicious! My family ate them so fast I’m gonna need to make a second batch soon. 🙂
Elizabeth says
I put honey in everything I possibly can. I just love the flavor so much. These cupcakes and frosting have that same delicious flavor without being too much.
Sharina says
Kids love the rich flavors of these honey cupcakes! They even love topping them with some sprinkles. Must-try!
Lori says
I surprised my girls with these cupcake and they went totally crazy. So delicious. I’m never using a box mix again.
Sam says
I love how versatile this recipe is! It’s a perfect fit for my family! So delicious!