Go Back

Layered Cornbread Cake With Honey Butter Frosting

Layered cornbread cake with honey butter frosting—three golden cornbread layers baked in round pans and stacked with fluffy frosting. Finished with a honey drizzle and flaky sea salt for sweet-salty contrast.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cornbread cake layers
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
For honey butter frosting
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 3.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 honey and flaky sea salt for finishing

Equipment

  • 3 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake the cornbread cake layers
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease three 8-inch round pans.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one bowl.
  3. Whisk eggs, whole milk, buttermilk, melted unsalted butter, honey, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
  4. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture until combined, then divide the batter between the three pans.
  5. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool completely in the pans.
Make and apply the honey butter frosting
  1. Beat softened unsalted butter with honey until light and creamy, then add powdered sugar gradually.
  2. Beat in heavy cream, vanilla, and salt until very light and fluffy.
  3. Frost generously between all layers and over the outside of the cooled cake.
  4. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top to finish.

Notes

For the cleanest layers, let the cakes cool fully before stacking—warm cake traps steam and can slide. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted layers up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and frost after they’re fully cool. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat butter in the frosting, but expect a slightly softer texture.