Honey Bun Cake
This Honey Bun Cake takes everything you love about the classic, sweet, sticky treat and turns it into an incredibly soft, moist, gooey, cinnamon-swirled dessert. Featuring classic honey bun flavor and a simple vanilla glaze, it’s a cake no one can resist.
We love a honey bun with a cup of coffee, and now we’ve turned the classic breakfast treat into a dessert. It’s super-easy to make with boxed cake mix, and it’s loaded with that classic flavor.
If you love classic, sweet flavors done a bit differently, then be sure to check out our cinnamon roll bundt cake and butter pecan pound cake recipes, too.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, moist, and packed with cinnamon flavor
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- That gooey brown sugar swirl is everything
- Sweet vanilla glaze on top
- Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert
- Freezer-friendly and perfect for prep
Key Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Yellow Cake Mix: This super-convenient base gives you a soft, fluffy cake without a ton of extra work.
- Sour Cream: The secret to a super-soft, rich, and slightly tangy cake. It levels up the texture big time.
- Brown Sugar & Cinnamon: These create that sweet, cinnamon swirl in the middle, basically the best part with that cozy, almost coffee-cake vibe.
- Powdered Sugar: Makes the smooth, sweet icing that goes right on top.
- Vanilla: Adds warmth and enhances all the sweet flavors, especially in the icing.
Variations
- Add Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts add extra crunch and deeper flavor.
- Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle with caramel for extra sweetness.
- Swap the Glaze: Use a cream cheese glaze instead of vanilla for a more complex flavor.
- Simple Finish: Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar instead of glazing it for a bakery-style finish.
How to Make Honey Bun Cake
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mix the cake ingredients until just combined.
- Pour half the batter into a prepared 9×13 baking dish. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture over the batter, and pour the rest of the batter on top.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Mix the icing ingredients, pour the mixture over the cake, and let it harden. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results.
- Mix the batter until just combined to avoid a tough cake.
- Spread the layers gently to keep the cinnamon swirl intact.
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Pop the cake in the refrigerator to speed up the glaze hardening.
Honey Bun Cake FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer freshness, you can refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
Absolutely. Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Overbaking or overmixing can lead to a dry cake. Be sure to bake just until a toothpick comes out clean and mix the batter only until combined.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Honey Bun Cake
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Spatula
- Knife or spoon for spreading
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Toothpick
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 15 ounces yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 8 ounces sour cream
For the cinnamon layer:
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and sour cream. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth and fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure no dry cake mix remains.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter.
- Pour the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar layer and gently spread it out with a knife or spoon.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely for 30 to 45 minutes.
- To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth.
- If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk.
- If it is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and spread evenly.
- Let the glaze set for about 25 minutes before slicing and serving. You can refrigerate the cake to speed this up.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
