There's something irresistibly comforting about a warm slice of honey bun cake recipe. This beloved dessert captures all the delicious flavors of your favorite packaged honey bun but transforms them into a gorgeous, homemade cake that's perfect for sharing. With its rich cinnamon swirl and sweet glaze, this honey bun cake recipe brings back childhood memories while creating new ones around your family table.
Why You'll Love This Honey Bun Cake Recipe
This honey bun cake starts with a convenient cake mix base but tastes completely homemade thanks to a few special additions. The cake features a delightful ribbon of cinnamon-sugar running through tender vanilla cake, topped with a sweet glaze that seeps into every bite. Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or weekend treats, this cake stays moist for days (though it rarely lasts that long!).
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Ingredients
the Cake:
- Yellow cake mix
- Eggs, room temperature
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
the Cinnamon Filling:
- Brown sugar, packed
- Ground cinnamon
- Butter, melted
the Glaze:
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Butter, melted
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare Your Pan and Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or use baking spray with flour
Make the Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and well combined
- The batter will be thicker than typical cake mix batter due to the sour cream
Create the Cinnamon Filling
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon
- Stir in the melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand
Layer and Swirl
- Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared pan
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the batter
- Pour the remaining batter on top
- Use a knife to gently swirl the layers together, creating a marbled effect
Bake the Cake
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
- The top should be golden brown and slightly springy when touched
Make the Glaze
- While the cake is baking, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter
- The glaze should be pourable but not too thin
Finish and Serve
- Pour the glaze over the cake while it's still warm
- Let the cake cool completely before serving to allow the glaze to set
Pro Tips for Perfect Results
- Bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before starting
- Don't overmix the cake batter once combined to ensure a tender crumb
- Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes before adding the glaze
- Use a fork to poke a few holes in the warm cake before glazing to allow it to seep in
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store covered for up to 3 days
- Refrigerator: Keep fresh for up to a week in an airtight container
- Freezer: Wrap unglazed cake well and freeze for up to 3 months
Recipe Variations
- Add chopped pecans to the cinnamon filling for extra crunch
- Use cream cheese frosting instead of glaze for a richer finish
- Add a teaspoon of maple extract to the glaze for maple-honey bun flavor
- Make it extra decadent by adding white chocolate chips to the batter
Equipment For Honey Bun Cake Recipe
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (stand or hand mixer)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
FAQ
What is a Honey Bun Cake?
A honey bun cake is a delicious, homemade dessert that mimics the flavor of classic packaged honey buns but in a soft, moist cake form. It features a tender vanilla cake base swirled with a rich cinnamon-sugar filling, then topped with a sweet, pourable glaze that seeps into the warm cake, creating a gooey, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The cake is often made using a yellow cake mix as a shortcut, but the addition of sour cream and vanilla extract gives it a homemade taste and an ultra-moist crumb. Honey bun cake is a popular choice for potlucks, family gatherings, or weekend baking because it’s easy to prepare, stays fresh for days, and brings a comforting, nostalgic flavor that reminds many of childhood breakfasts and bakery treats.
What Does Adding Sour Cream to a Cake Batter Do?
Sour cream is a secret ingredient that can take a cake from ordinary to exceptional. When added to cake batter, sour cream enhances both the texture and flavor of the final product. Its high-fat content contributes to a rich, moist crumb, preventing the cake from becoming dry, even after a few days. The acidity in sour cream also helps tenderize the gluten in the flour, resulting in a softer, more delicate texture. Additionally, it balances the sweetness of the cake, giving it a subtle tangy depth that makes flavors more complex and satisfying. In recipes like honey bun cake, sour cream also thickens the batter, helping to hold the cinnamon filling in place and create a well-defined swirl without it sinking to the bottom.
What’s the Difference Between a Cinnamon Roll and a Honey Bun?
Cinnamon rolls and honey buns are both beloved sweet treats with cinnamon-infused flavors, but they have key differences in texture, preparation, and taste.
Texture and Dough: Cinnamon rolls are made from a yeasted dough that is rolled out, filled with cinnamon-sugar, then sliced into spirals before baking. This process creates a fluffy, pull-apart texture that is soft and airy. Honey buns, on the other hand, have a denser, more compact texture and are often fried rather than baked, giving them a slightly crispier and chewier exterior.
Preparation Method: Cinnamon rolls are typically baked in a pan and served warm with a drizzled icing or cream cheese frosting. Honey buns, especially the packaged varieties, are usually fried and then coated with a sticky, sweet glaze, making them more similar to doughnuts in preparation.
Flavor and Sweetness: Cinnamon rolls emphasize the spiced warmth of cinnamon with a buttery, slightly chewy interior, whereas honey buns tend to have a more pronounced honey or caramelized sweetness due to their glaze. Honey buns may also have a slight stickiness to their exterior, while cinnamon rolls have a soft, frosted top.
While they share similar flavors, honey buns lean towards the indulgent, glazed treat side, whereas cinnamon rolls are fluffier and often served fresh-baked with a thick topping.
What Are the Ingredients of a Honey Bun?
A traditional honey bun is a sweet, spiral-shaped pastry that is typically deep-fried or baked and coated with a sugary glaze. The key ingredients of a classic honey bun include:
Flour: The base of the dough, providing structure and texture.
Yeast or Baking Powder: Depending on whether the honey bun is made with yeasted dough or a quicker, cake-like batter, a leavening agent helps it rise and develop its characteristic texture.
Sugar: Used in the dough, filling, and glaze to create sweetness.
Butter or Oil: Adds moisture, richness, and tenderness to the dough.
Milk or Water: Provides hydration and helps develop the dough’s texture.
Eggs: Contribute to structure and richness in the dough.
Cinnamon: The key spice that gives honey buns their signature warm, sweet flavor.
Honey: While some honey buns contain only a glaze, many traditional recipes include honey in the dough or glaze for added flavor.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall sweetness and aroma.
Powdered Sugar and Milk (for the glaze): Creates the sticky, sweet glaze that coats the honey bun after baking or frying.
These ingredients combine to create a rich, flavorful pastry that is soft on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside, and coated with a glossy, sugary finish. Some variations may include a touch of nutmeg, brown sugar in the filling, or even a hint of maple for extra depth of flavor.
Grandma’s Sweetest Secret: The Honey Bun Cake Recipe That Feels Like a Hug
I still remember the scent of cinnamon and vanilla wafting through my grandmother’s kitchen, the warmth of her tiny house wrapping around me like a soft embrace. She never wrote down her recipes—she said real love didn’t need measurements. But one rainy afternoon, as I watched her swirl cinnamon sugar into a golden batter, she whispered, “This is our little secret.” That was the first time I tasted her Honey Bun Cake, a dessert so tender and sweet that it felt like childhood on a plate.
Years later, when I finally convinced her to share the recipe, she smiled and tucked it between the pages of an old cookbook, right beside her handwritten notes for a Chantilly Cake Recipe and Pumpkin Pie with Condensed Milk—each one a memory waiting to be relived. Now, every time I bake this cake, I feel her hands guiding mine, reminding me that the best recipes aren’t just about taste—they’re about the love and stories we pass down, one slice at a time.
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Honey Bun Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan Greased and floured
- Large mixing bowls For cake batter
- Electric mixer Hand or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula For folding and spreading
- Wire cooling rack For cooling the cake
Ingredients
the Cake:
- 1 box yellow cake mix Any brand
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup vegetable oil Neutral flavor
- 1 cup sour cream Full fat preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pure or imitation
the Cinnamon Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Freshly ground for best flavor
- ¼ cup butter melted
the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar Sifted for smooth glaze
- ¼ cup milk Adjust for consistency
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pure or imitation
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
Prepare Your Pan and Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or use baking spray with flour
Make the Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and well combined
- The batter will be thicker than typical cake mix batter due to the sour cream
Create the Cinnamon Filling
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon
- Stir in the melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand
Layer and Swirl
- Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared pan
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the batter
- Pour the remaining batter on top
- Use a knife to gently swirl the layers together, creating a marbled effect
Bake the Cake
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
- The top should be golden brown and slightly springy when touched
Make the Glaze
- While the cake is baking, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter
- The glaze should be pourable but not too thin
Finish and Serve
- Pour the glaze over the cake while it's still warm
- Let the cake cool completely before serving to allow the glaze to set
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