This Easy Honey Bun Cake is a moist butter yellow cake with a sweet cinnamon swirl, baked and topped with a vanilla glaze for the finishing touch. It is a delightful dessert, but can also be enjoyed with a cup of coffee for a sweet treat anytime! If you love yellow (butter) cakes, be sure to check out my Homemade Yellow Cake Mix, too!
What Is A Honey Bun Cake?
A honey bun cake is named after a honey bun, a sweet, spiral-shaped pastry similar to a cinnamon roll, but usually made with honey. You don’t need any honey for this cake, but you will still get a sweet, cinnamon swirl in the cake, similar to the pastry, with a glaze on top.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Cake Mix: Look for a box of butter yellow cake mix, which has a slightly richer flavor when compared to yellow cake mix. But, you could use either for this recipe. Do not follow the cake instructions on the box, but rather the recipe provided. Or, use my homemade yellow cake mix for a from-scratch version!
Sour Cream: Sour cream adds moisture to the cake batter. You could substitute Greek yogurt if preferred, but it may change the final taste a bit.
Cinnamon Swirl: Light brown sugar is mixed with cinnamon for the cinnamon swirl in the cake. It helps give the cake that honey bun pastry flavor.
Glaze: The simple vanilla glaze is poured over the top of the cake, just like a glaze is often found on top of the pastry!
How To Store Honey Bun Cake
To store the honey bun cake, first, let it cool completely. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to help it retain moisture. The cake can be kept at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. If you live in a warmer or more humid climate, you may want to keep it in the refrigerator. But, cover it well to prevent it from drying out.
Can I Freeze The Cake?
Yes! This cake freezes well. To freeze the cake, first, let it cool completely. Next, wrap the entire cake (or individual pieces) in plastic wrap. Then, store it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months. Let the cake thaw in the refrigerator when ready to enjoy!
Easy Honey Bun Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) butter yellow cake mix
- 1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (163.5 g) vegetable oil
- ½ cup water
Cinnamon Swirl
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Glaze
- 2 cups (250 g) confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup (61 g) whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- To a small bowl, add brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the top of the batter.
- Pour the remaining batter over the brown sugar mixture. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the batter and sugar mixture together, creating a marble pattern. Be careful not to overmix.
- Bake for 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- While the cake cools slightly, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- While the cake is still slightly warm, evenly pour glaze on the cake. Let the cake cool before serving.
Video
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
For a quick and easy cake, this is impressively delicious! The cake is moist, and the cinnamon flavor shines in every bite.
Elizabeth
Wow, this is sweet! Even though there is no honey in it, the cake has a 'stickiness' feel to it when you take a bite (which I love). A small piece was enough for me, but I really enjoyed it!
Bella
This Honey Bun cake is a delicious treat that will satisfy your Honey Bun craving! It is such a moist and fluffy cake with a lovely cinnamon flavor!
Annabelle
This cake is super tasty! It's very sweet, moist, and tender. If you like honey buns, you'd definitely enjoy this!
Selena
This reminded me of a super sweet cinnamon coffee cake! I'd love this with a cup of black coffee in the morning.
Rachael
This is an upgraded cake mix! I love the sticky sweetness of this, and it would be perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Hi Amanda,
This recipe looks delicious and so does the Lemon Blueberry Poundcake.
All your recipes always look so inviting and I am anxious to try them too.
Thank you for all these as usual.
Sincerely,
Audrey
Made it and it was a hit.
Yay!
I cook in a nursing home and I just know the residents will love the honey bun cake …thank you
Honey buns are one of my favorites. This maybe a dangerous cake for me, ha . Especially if I eat it all myself. Thank you for sharing.
Hi I make this cake all the time except I add a box of jello vanilla instant pudding! Talk about a moist cake. You will have to spread the batter instead of pouring it the batter is super thick but it works! Trust me you will love how moist the cake is.
Sounds delicious! Could this be baked in a Bundt pan, with baking time adjustments?