Gluten-Free Honey Blackberry Cake (Dairy-Free)
Fluffy layers of sweet honey cake speckled with rich chocolate chips, paired with a tart blackberry filling, and covered in the most amazing whipped blackberry buttercream frosting. This easy gluten-free honey blackberry cake is begging you to give it a bake this summer.
Note: This post contains affiliate links to which I earn a small commission, but don’t worry there’s no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting CAKED by Katie.
The Best Gluten-Free Honey Layer Cake
Made from scratch with the most tender of layers, this gluten-free honey cake recipe is simple to make and a perfect way to showcase those fresh summer blackberries. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, you are going to fall in love with every fresh honey and blackberry bite.
What Makes Up A Dairy-Free Honey Cake
Honey Cake Layers – A soft and tender crumb, each honey cake layer is speckled deliciously with chocolate chips.
Blackberry Filling – Smooth, tart, and full of amazing blackberry flavor.
Blackberry Frosting – Light and not too sweet, this frosting pairs gorgeously with the warm notes of honey found in the cake layers.
Honey Blackberry Cake Ingredients & Substitutions
As always this recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free. That said, I do test each recipe with “regular” ingredients and make notes of alternatives or swaps so that everyone can enjoy it.
Here are a few key ingredients for this cake but make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom recipe card for the complete ingredient list.
Gluten-Free Flour: I made this cake with Kinnikinnick all-purpose baking mix. If you are not gluten-free, swap the flour with regular cake flour. Note that gluten-free flour blends can vary in weight so I recommend measuring by the cup.
Dairy-Free Milk: I love to bake with unsweetened almond milk but this recipe will work with any type of non-dairy, lactose-free, vegan, or regular dairy milk. The higher the fat content the better.
Oil: Use canola or vegetable oil for best results but any neutral-tasting oil will work.
Honey: Any form of raw or pasteurized honey will work. I used liquid BeeMaid honey as it’s my personal favorite.
Dairy-Free Butter: Becel plant-based bricks are my personal favorite for baking but any brick-style dairy-free, vegan, lactose-free, or regular butter will work.
Blackberries: Fresh or frozen, both blackberry varieties will do the job.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips: I used plant-based Pascha semi-sweet chocolate chips but any type/style of chocolate chips (vegan or non-vegan) will work. You can also omit the chocolate chips entirely.
Easy Step-By-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this simple dairy-free and celiac-friendly honey layer cake recipe. You’ll need a large mixing bowl, a stand mixer or handheld electric one, two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans, a small pot, and a spatula.
1: Cream together the butter, honey, and oil.
2: Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3: Measure in the flour, baking powder, and salt and begin to mix on low.
4: With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the milk and mix until just combined.
5: Gently toss the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour to coat and fold into the cake batter.
6: Divide the cake batter into two 8-inch cake pans and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. Cool cakes on a cooling rack.
7: Combine the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt in a pot and cook over medium until thick. Remove from the heat and allow to fully cool.
8: With the paddle attachment cream the butter on high until smooth and fluffy.
9: Add in the icing sugar, blackberry filling, lemon juice, and salt and mix until combined. Turn up to high and allow to cream until fluffy and smooth.
10: Stack, fill, and frost the cake. Enjoy!
Honey Blackberry Cake Assembly Success Tips
Stacking a layer cake can feel a bit scary. But, as they say, slow and steady wins the race. Let’s set you up for dazzling blackberry layer cake success with a few tips and tricks.
Fully Cooled Cake Layers: Even if a tiny bit warm, layers will slip when warm. Ensure that each cake layer is fully cooled if not even a bit chilled. I will even work with semi-frozen cake layers if I had to bake them a few days before stacking.
Leveled Cake Layers: Flat and level cake layers will sit far easier than crooked ones. I use this super easy cake tool to ensure each cake layer is perfectly level.
Create a Frosting Border: Pipe a frosting border between the cake layers. It acts as a dam to keep that delicious blackberry filling in.
Keep the Cake Chilled: If at any point you begin to feel the cake slip or the frosting is too soft to work with, pop the cake and the frosting back into the fridge to chill. Remember, don’t rush it. Take your time.
How To Decorate An Allergy-Friendly Honey Cake
“As you desire” is often how I refer to cake decoration. It’s not that I don’t want you to make the exact same cake as I did, it’s simply that I don’t want you to feel like you *have* to make the exact same cake.
We all have an inner cake artist and I always want to encourage you to let it shine. That said, I quickly break down this gluten-free and lactose-free honey cake decor for you.
First: Crumb-coat the cake and allow it to chill for 20 minutes. **See the above section for stacking tips and tricks.
Second: Put a final “beauty” coat of frosting on the cake and very roughly smooth the sides of the cake smoother or offset spatula. Leave the top edge of the cake rough.
Third: Top with buttercream swirls and fresh blackberries.
Fourth Chill the cake until ready to serve. *Allow the cake to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before slicing.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
This cake can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. It can also be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Note that fruit filling, after frozen, such as this amazing blackberry filling will sometimes thaw a bit runny.
Bakers Tip: If you want to bake the cake layers a few days in advance, you most certainly can. Allow the layers to cool, cover them tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze until you a ready to stack and decorate the cake.
Remove the cake layers from the freezer approximately 1 hour before you plan to stack and decorate and allow them to thaw slightly at room temperature.
FAQ’s
Can this be made into cupcakes?
Yes, it absolutely can. The full recipe will make approximately 24 cupcakes or you could half it for 12 cupcakes.
What other pans can I use?
This can be baked in a 9×13 cake pan (it won’t need as much frosting though), three 6-inch rounds, or two 9-inch pans. Note that the baking time will change.
**Always look for light golden edges that are pulling away from the pan, the top should bounce bake to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out with a few moist crumbs.
Can Blackberry Filling Be Made In Advance?
Absolutely. This easy blackberry filling is good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks although I highly doubt it will last that long seeing as how scrumptious it is.
What Other Frosting Would Work?
This cake would be phenomenally yummy with a plain vanilla frosting or even a blackberry cream cheese one. Follow the buttercream recipe found in my Raspberry Cake except use blackberry filling instead of raspberry filling. Scrumptious!
The Yummiest Gluten-Free Honey Blackberry Layer Cake
A slice of sensational summer berry, this fresh gluten-free dairy-free honey blackberry cake is a delicious combo of sweet and tart in every yummy bite.
Soft fluffy honey cake layers bursting with chocolate chips, tart blackberry filling, and gorgeous whipped blackberry frosting. This dazzling cake is a summer delight in every scrumptious spoonful.
Make sure you tag me on social media @cakedbykatie and leave me a star rating and review below if you make it. Can’t wait to see it!
More Berry-Inspired Dessert Recipes
Here are a few other fresh summer berry sweet treats that I know you’ll enjoy:
- Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes (GF & DF)
- Chantilly Cake (GF & DF)
- Raspberry Cake (GF & DF)
- Raspberry Blondies (GF & DF)
- Blueberry Cake (GF & DF)
- Strawberry Cake (GF & DF)
- Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake (GF & DF)
- Blueberry Lemon Cookies (GF & V)

Gluten-Free Honey Blackberry Cake (Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Yield: 10 Slices 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Incredibly soft, this easy gluten-free honey blackberry cake has layers of fluffy honey cake speckled beautifully with chocolate chips, blackberry filling, and the most amazing whipped blackberry buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Honey Cake
- ⅔ cup (151g) dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (400g) honey
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup (280g) gluten-free flour 1:1 baking blend
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (177ml) dairy-free milk, room temperature
- 1 cup (240g) dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour 1:1 baking blend
Blackberry Filling
- 1 ½ cups (180g) blackberries, fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup (59ml) lemon juice
- ⅛ cup (25g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- pinch of fine sea salt
Blackberry Buttercream
- 2 cups (480g) dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
- 5 ½ cups (600g) icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅔ cup (157ml) blackberry filling
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
-
optional: fresh blackberries for decor
Instructions
Honey Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare two 8-inch round baking pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with an electric handheld mixer, cream the butter, honey, and oil on high speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix on high for another minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum (if using) and turn the mixer on low.
- While the mixer is on low slowly pour in the milk and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour and stir to coat. With a spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into the two prepared 8-inch round baking pans and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake layers on the cooling rack and allow them to fully cool. If freezing the cake layers for later, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the freezer.
Blackberry Filling
-
In a medium heavy-bottomed pot combine the blackberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Begin to cook the mixture over medium heat and continue to stir until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take approximately 5-10 minutes depending on whether you used fresh or frozen blackberries.
-
Remove from the heat, pour into a shallow dish, and directly cover the surface with plastic wrap. Allow to fully cool.
Blackberry Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter on high for 5-10 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- Add in the icing sugar and salt and mix on low until combined.
- Add in the blackberry filling and lemon juice and mix on low until combined.
- Turn the mixer to high and allow to beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Cake Assembly
-
Place one leveled layer of honey cake on a cake board or plate. Top with approximately 2 cups of buttercream.
-
Pipe a buttercream border along the edges and fill with the remaining blackberry filling.
-
Top with the remaining cake layer and apply a thin coat of buttercream all over the cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
-
Cover the cake with another layer of buttercream and, with a cake smoother, smooth the sides of the cake.
-
Decorate as you desire. I left the top edge of the cake rough, piped Wilton 1M swirls along the top border, and placed a fresh blackberry on each swirl. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 60 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Mins
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: dairy-free honey cake, gluten-free honey cake, gluten-free honey blackberry cake, dairy-free honey blackberry cake