Make this delicious Honey Bun Cake with warm cinnamon, tender cake, and a simple glaze. A quick, crowd-pleasing recipe everyone will love.
Honey Bun Cake is a soft, moist, cinnamon-swirled cake that tastes just like the classic honey bun pastries we all love only easier to make and perfect for sharing. Baked as a simple sheet cake and finished with a warm, sweet glaze, this dessert comes together quickly and delivers the perfect mix of buttery cake, cozy cinnamon, and sugary sweetness.
It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for breakfast, brunch, potlucks, or weeknight treats. Since it uses a cake mix, it comes together so quickly. If you love strawberries, also try Strawberry Honey Bun Cake.
For more honey bun flavor, make Honey Bun Cheesecake.
If you love cinnamon, try one of these Easy Cinnamon Dessert Recipes. The kids also love when I make Cinnamon Roll Bread and Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe.
Another decadent cake everyone loves is Paula Deen Ooey Gooey Butter Cake.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients, big flavor: A basic cake mix transforms into a rich, cinnamon swirl dessert with just a few pantry staples.
- Moist and tender texture: The combination of buttery batter and cinnamon filling keeps the cake soft, fluffy, and perfectly moist.
- That irresistible glaze: Pouring the glaze over the warm cake gives it that classic honey bun sweetness and a shiny finish.
- Quick to prepare: No mixer or complicated steps. Just stir, layer, bake, and glaze.
- Perfect for any occasion: It feeds a crowd easily, travels well, and tastes great warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Cake
- Yellow Cake Mix. Do not follow the cake mix instructions.
- Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla extract is always best.
- Sour Cream. Full fat sour cream is suggested for a moist cake.
- Brown Sugar. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
Icing
- Confectioners Sugar. Sift the powdered sugar before using if it’s lumpy.
- Milk. Whole milk is best in this recipe.
Find the entire ingredient list and recipe at the bottom of the page.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then spray a 9X13 baking pan with cooking spray.
Step 2. Use a large mixing bowl and whisk together the cake mix, sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract and vegetable oil. I used an electric mixer.
Step 3. Get out a separate small bowl. Stir together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
Step 4. Next, pour half of the batter in the prepared baking dish.
Step 5. Top the batter with the brown sugar mixture. I usually just sprinkle it. Then pour half of the cake batter on top of cinnamon sugar mixture. Gently swirl the batter a few times together with a knife. Then bake for 30-35 minutes total time or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Step 6. While the cake cooks, stir together the icing ingredients in a bowl.
Step 7. Finally, pour the icing over the warm cake. Then allow the cake to cool completely.
Storage
Room Temperature: Keep the cake covered tightly or in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The glaze helps keep it moist, so it stays delicious even after a couple of days.
Refrigerator: If you prefer it chilled, store slices in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Just note that refrigeration can make the cake slightly firmer.
Freezer: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm lightly in the microwave for that fresh-from-the-oven feel.
Pro Tips
- Top with glaze while the cake is warm. Add the glaze to a warm cake so the glaze melts into the cake.
- Only swirl the top layer. The first cinnamon sugar layer should only be sprinkled on top. Swirl the last layer but do so gently.
- Allow to set. The cake needs to set before serving. This will give the glaze and cake time to set before slicing.
- Don’t cut the cake too soon. While it is tasty warm, the cake will fall apart if you cut the cake immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cake is freezer friendly. Allow to completely cool and then wrap in plastic wrap. Wrap again in aluminum foil to ensure freshness.
Then place inside a freezer bag or container.
Yes, chopped pecans or walnuts would be delicious. You can add them to the cinnamon mixture in between the cake to sprinkle on top of the glaze.
If you prefer the cake less sweet, reduce the amount cinnamon sugar mixture in both layers.
More Delicious Cinnamon Recipes
This Honey Bun Cake Recipe is so easy, and I can’t wait for you to enjoy it. Please let me know if you try it by leaving a comment and star recipe rating! I absolutely love to hear from you!
Honey Bun Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix 15.25 ounces
- 4 Large Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 8 ounces Sour Cream
- ¾ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
For the Icing:
- 2 cups Confectioners Sugar
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9X13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Stir together the cake mix, sour cream, eggs vanilla extract and vegetable oil together in a large bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Pour half of the cake batter in the prepared 9X13 pan.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top of the cake batter.
- Pour the remaining cake batter on top. Gently swirl the batter a few times together with a knife.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Stir together the icing ingredients in a bowl.
- Pour the icing over the warm cake. Cool the cake completely and then it’s ready to serve and enjoy!
