Honey Bun Cake Recipe
I still remember the first time I made this cake. It was a rainy Sunday, I had a half bag of brown sugar sitting in my pantry that needed using up, and I honestly just wanted something that tasted like a bakery honey bun without driving to the store. Ten years into food blogging and this is still one of those recipes I go back to when I want something comforting without a ton of fuss.
This Honey Bun Cake is a moist, cinnamon swirled yellow cake soaked with a warm honey butter glaze. It comes together with a box of cake mix (yes, really, and I’ll explain why that’s not cheating) and bakes up in one pan, so cleanup is easy. If you love the taste of a gas station honey bun but want something homemade and a little more grown up, this is it.
Essential Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Alternative Ingredients
If you don’t have sour cream, plain Greek yogurt works just as well and honestly adds a nice tang. You can swap the vegetable oil for melted butter if you want a richer crumb, though the texture will be slightly denser. No brown sugar on hand? White sugar mixed with a tablespoon of molasses gets you close enough. For the glaze, maple syrup can stand in for honey if that’s what’s in your pantry.
Step-by-Step Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish really well. I use a glass dish for this one because it seems to bake more evenly, but any good quality baking pan will do.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, and water. A stand mixer makes this step painless, though a hand mixer or even a whisk and some elbow grease works fine too. Mix until smooth, about two minutes.
In a separate small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Pour half the cake batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top. Pour the remaining batter over that layer. Take a butter knife and swirl it through the batter in a figure eight pattern to create that classic marbled look.
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, checking with a toothpick around the 28 minute mark. You want it to come out clean, but don’t overbake or you’ll lose that moist texture that makes this cake special.
While the cake cools for about ten minutes, whisk together the powdered sugar, honey, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour this glaze over the warm cake so it soaks into all those little cracks and crevices. This is the step that turns a good cake into a great one, so don’t skip it.
Pro Tips
Here’s the thing about this cake: the glaze needs to go on while the cake is still warm, not hot and not cold. Warm cake absorbs the glaze into the crumb. Cold cake just lets it sit on top like frosting, which isn’t the same experience at all.
I used to make the mistake of pouring the glaze on right out of the oven, and it would just slide right off the sides. Give it that ten minute rest and you’ll get a much better result, trust me on this.
If you like your cake extra gooey, double the glaze recipe. Nobody has ever complained about too much glaze in my house.
FAQs
Can I make this from scratch instead of using a cake mix? Absolutely. Use your favorite homemade yellow cake recipe as the base and follow the same layering and glazing steps.
How do I store leftovers? Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerate for up to a week. It also freezes well for up to two months.
Can I add nuts? Pecans or walnuts folded into the cinnamon sugar layer add a nice crunch if that’s your thing.
Recipe Info Table
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Servings | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 30 minutes | 45 minutes | 12 | One 9×13 cake |
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This cake hits that sweet spot between quick weeknight dessert and something special enough for a potluck. It uses a shortcut cake mix but tastes anything but boxed once that honey glaze soaks in. It’s also incredibly forgiving. Slightly overmix the batter? No problem. Glaze looks too thin? Still works.
What Makes This Recipe Unique
Most honey bun cakes I’ve seen skip the double glaze soak or use plain sugar glaze instead of an actual honey based one. The honey here isn’t just a flavor note, it’s doing real work, adding moisture and that distinct caramelized sweetness you get from an actual honey bun pastry.
Key Features
- One pan, minimal cleanup
- Uses pantry staples plus a cake mix shortcut
- Moist texture that holds up for days
- Freezer friendly for make ahead baking
Nutrition Facts Table
| Nutrient | Amount Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 340 |
| Total Fat | 12g |
| Carbohydrates | 55g |
| Sugar | 40g |
| Protein | 4g |
Your mileage may vary depending on the exact cake mix and glaze amount you use, so treat these numbers as a general guide rather than gospel.
You’ll Also Love
If cinnamon and sugar swirls are your thing, you’ll want to try my homemade cinnamon rolls next, they share that same cozy bakery flavor. For another glaze soaked favorite, check out my Amish cinnamon bread, which uses a similar sugar swirl technique in loaf form. And if you’re in the mood for something a little brighter, my lemon pound cake is a great contrast to this rich, honey soaked dessert.
For more baking inspiration, I regularly reference Allrecipes’ cake collection for classic techniques, and Food Network’s dessert section is always a solid resource for testing variations on old favorites. I also love browsing Taste of Home’s cake recipes when I want to see how other home bakers put their own spin on classics like this one.
A stand mixer really does make quick work of the batter if you bake often enough to justify one, but a simple hand mixer gets the job done just fine for occasional bakers. Same goes for the baking dish, a good nonstick 9×13 pan will serve you well for this recipe and dozens of others.
Conclusion
This Honey Bun Cake is the kind of recipe that looks impressive but takes almost no real effort, which is exactly the sort of dessert I gravitate toward these days. Make it once and I promise it’ll become one of those recipes you keep coming back to when you need something sweet without a lot of hassle. Give it a try this weekend and let me know how it turns out for you.
