Are you like me and love love love a delicious gooey gooey honey bun? If that is you, I have a recipe for you – the Honey Bun Cake. This cake takes delicious to the next level with buttery layers, a rich cinnamon sugar swirl, and an oh-so-creamy frosting. This cake is easy to make and a perfect dessert for the family. This cake recipe is what I call perfect just because it is a Tuesday dessert.
What You’ll Need to Make Honey Bun Cake
Before you dive in, I suggest that you gather your ingredients. The good news is that you likely already have all the ingredients in your kitchen. I like to collect everything to ensure I don’t need to run to the store.
- A box of golden butter or yellow cake mix
- Butter (softened for easy mixing)
- Eggs for richness and structure
- Sour cream to keep the cake moist and tender
- Brown sugar for that deep, sweet flavor in the filling
- Pecans for a nutty crunch (optional)
- Ground cinnamon for a warm, cozy spice
- Powdered sugar to create the creamy frosting
- Heavy cream (or milk as a substitute) for smoothness in the frosting
How to Make Honey Bun Cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven and grease a 9 X 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2: Scoop out ½ cup of the dry cake mix and set it aside.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining cake mix, softened butter, eggs, and sour cream. Blend the ingredients with an electric mixer and blend until smooth—don’t overmix! It is important not to overmix because if you do the cake will turn out too dense.
Step 4: Next, we will create the bottom layer of the cake. Spread half of the cake mix into the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Now, we will make the center filling. Mix the reserved cake mix, brown sugar, pecans (if using), and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Step 6: Sprinkle the center filling over the bottom layer as evenly as possible.
Step 7: Dollop the remaining batter over the filling. Gently spread it with a spatula, ensuring the filling is completely covered.
Step 8: Bake the cake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. This should take about 40 minutes, but oven times vary.
Step 9: While the cake is baking, mix powdered sugar, the remaining cinnamon, and cream (or milk) in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust the cream to get a spreadable consistency.
Step 10: Once the cake is done, let it cool just a bit. We want to put the frosting on the cake while it is warm. Spread the frosting over the warm cake and melt it into a silky glaze.
Tips for Making the Perfect Honey Bun Cake
Don’t overmix the batter. It is so tempting to overmix the batter, but do all that you can stop mixing when the batter is smooth. Overmixing the batter makes the cake dense; we want this one to be light and fluffy.
Spread the middle layer with care. When adding in the cinnamon-sugar filling, use a spatula to gently spread the batter without pressing down. We want to have distinct layers for the perfect cake.
About the frosting. Suppose the consistency of the frosting doesn’t seem quite right when adding another tablespoon of cream to thin it out a bit.
Serve it warm. If you want that extra gooeyness sensation for the ultimate honey bun experience, serve the cake warm.
Honey Bun Cake
A sweet, buttery cake swirled with cinnamon-sugar pecan filling and topped with creamy frosting. Perfect for any occasion, from family gatherings to a simple treat just because.
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Ingredients
- 1 box golden butter cake mix (or yellow cake mix)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream (or 2 tablespoons milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Reserve ½ cup of the dry cake mix; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining cake mix, butter, eggs, and sour cream. Mix just until smooth.
- Spread half of the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Mix the reserved cake mix, brown sugar, pecans (if using), and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter.
- Dollop the remaining batter over the filling and gently spread to cover.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- For the frosting, mix powdered sugar, the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons heavy cream until smooth. Spread over the warm cake.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Pecans can be omitted.
- Substitute milk for heavy cream in the frosting using about 2 tablespoons instead of 3-4.
- Store leftover cake at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
I made this cake for my grandkids, they absolutely loved it they were so surprised by it since they were here visiting for Thanksgiving Holidays. They absolutely enjoyed it, definitely will make it again. Thank you so much.