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Layered Cornbread Cake With Honey Butter Frosting

Layered cornbread cake with honey butter frosting—golden cornbread layers baked in three 8-inch rounds and stacked with a light, fluffy honey butter frosting. Finish with a honey drizzle and flaky sea salt for a sweet-salty top.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
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
  • 1 honey For finishing drizzle.
  • 1 flaky sea salt For finishing.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 3 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the cornbread cake layers
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease three 8-inch round pans.
  2. Whisk together 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 until smooth.
  4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, then divide the batter evenly between the three pans.
  5. Bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool the baked layers completely before frosting.
Make and apply the honey butter frosting
  1. Beat unsalted butter, softened, with honey until very light and fluffy, then mix in powdered sugar.
  2. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth and spreadable.
  3. Frost generously between all layers and spread frosting over the outside of the cake.
  4. Drizzle honey over the top and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top as a final finish.

Notes

For the cleanest layers, cool completely (warm cakes trap steam and slide when stacked). Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; the frosting firms up as it chills. Freezing is not recommended because the cornbread texture can turn slightly grainy after thawing. If you want a lighter twist, use low-fat milk in the cake for a modest reduction in richness (the frosting remains the same).