Honey Bun Cake Recipe: Easy Cinnamon Swirl Cake with Vanilla Glaze
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This Honey Bun Cake is an easy cinnamon swirl cake made with yellow cake mix, sour cream, brown sugar, and vanilla glaze. Perfect as a honey bun dessert, glazed breakfast cake, or cozy cinnamon sugar cake for brunch, holidays, and potlucks.
If you’ve ever eaten a packaged honey bun and wished it tasted more homemade, richer, and fresher, this is the recipe for you.
What makes this honey bun cake recipe so special is how easy it is to make. A box of yellow cake mix gives you a foolproof start. Sour cream makes the crumb extra tender. Brown sugar and cinnamon create that classic sticky-sweet swirl.
The final texture lands somewhere between a coffee cake, a snack cake, and a classic Southern sheet cake. It’s moist and rich without being heavy, and the glaze adds that signature finish that makes this cake taste just like a honey bun.
This cake mix honey bun cake is also perfect when you need something dependable. It travels well, slices cleanly, and tastes amazing at room temperature. You can serve it for dessert after dinner, set it out for brunch with coffee, or bring it to a get-together when you need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
So whether you’re craving a nostalgic treat, looking for an easy potluck dessert, or searching for a cinnamon swirl cake that tastes homemade without a lot of effort, this recipe checks every box.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yellow cake mix – This is the base of the cake and keeps the recipe quick and dependable. A butter golden cake mix works too if you want a slightly richer flavor.
- Eggs – Eggs help bind the batter and give the cake structure. I recommend using large eggs for the best texture.
- Sour cream – Sour cream adds moisture and gives this cake its soft, tender crumb. Plain Greek yogurt can work in its place if that’s what you have on hand.
- Vegetable oil – Oil keeps the cake moist and helps it stay soft for days. You can substitute another neutral oil, like canola oil.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar creates the sweet filling layer and gives the cake that signature honey bun flavor. Light or dark brown sugar will work, though dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses note.
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon brings warmth and that classic bakery-style swirl. You can add a small pinch of nutmeg if you want a little extra spice.
- Powdered sugar – This forms the smooth, sweet base of the icing. Be sure to whisk out any lumps before mixing if needed.
- Milk – Milk thins the icing to the right pourable consistency. Whole milk, 2%, or even half-and-half can work.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla rounds out the icing and adds that familiar sweet bakery flavor. Pure vanilla extract gives the best taste, but imitation vanilla works in a pinch.
Instructions
Step 1 – Prep the pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13×9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray so the cake releases easily after baking.
Step 2 – Mix the cake batter. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and vegetable oil. Use a hand mixer to blend everything together until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
Step 3 – Make the cinnamon filling. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon until evenly mixed. This is the sweet cinnamon layer that gives the cake its honey bun flavor.
Step 4 – Add the first cake layer. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread it into an even layer so the filling will sit nicely across the middle.
Step 5 – Sprinkle on the filling. Sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter. Try to cover the surface as evenly as possible so every bite gets that sweet swirl flavor.
Step 6 – Add the remaining batter. Spoon the rest of the batter over the filling layer. Gently spread it out so the brown sugar mixture is covered from edge to edge.
Step 7 – Bake the cake. Place the cake in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out mostly clean.
Step 8 – Make the icing. While the cake is baking, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and pourable.
Step 9 – Prick the warm cake. When the cake comes out of the oven, use a fork to prick holes all over the top. This helps the icing soak into the cake instead of just sitting on the surface.
Step 10 – Glaze and cool. Pour the icing evenly over the warm cake, covering the entire top. Let the cake cool before slicing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
One of the best things about this brown sugar cinnamon cake is how flexible it is. You can serve it warm or at room temperature for dessert, or even as a sweet brunch treat. It’s not fussy, and that’s part of its charm.
For family gatherings, I like to serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Warm gives you that super soft glaze-soaked texture, while room temperature makes the slices neat and easy to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It’s called Honey Bun Cake because the flavor is inspired by a classic honey bun pastry. Even though there’s no actual honey in the recipe, the cake has the same sweet cinnamon swirl and glaze that make honey buns so popular.
In many home kitchens, this cake can stay at room temperature for a couple of days if it’s covered well. For longer storage, refrigeration is the safer choice. King Arthur Baking notes that many cakes keep well when wrapped properly, and freezing is best for longer storage.
Yes. This is a great make-ahead cake because it stays moist and flavorful. In fact, many people think it tastes even better a few hours later after the icing has fully settled into the cake.
Yes, but the flavor will be a little lighter. Yellow cake mix gives the cake a richer, more classic honey bun flavor.
Pricking the cake helps the icing soak in so the top isn’t just frosted, it’s infused with sweetness. That’s one of the things that gives this honey bun cake recipe its signature texture.
Honestly, both. It’s sweet enough to be dessert, but it also fits right in with brunch as a glazed breakfast cake or coffee cake-style treat.
Storage & Reheating
One of the nicest things about this sour cream cake recipe is that it stays moist. The oil, sour cream, and glaze all help keep the cake soft after baking, which means leftovers are absolutely worth saving.
Storing at room temperature – If you plan to eat the cake within 1 to 2 days, cover the pan tightly or transfer slices to an airtight container. Keep it at room temperature in a cool spot in your kitchen. This keeps the texture soft and tender without drying it out.
Storing in the refrigerator – For longer storage, refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Chilling will firm up the glaze a bit, but the cake will still taste great. Let a slice sit at room temperature for a little while before serving if you want the softest texture.
Freezing instructions – To freeze, let the cake cool completely first. Then wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly. For best results, use a layer of plastic wrap and then a second layer of foil or place wrapped slices in a freezer-safe container. King Arthur Baking recommends wrapping cake thoroughly for freezing and storing longer term.
Freeze for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality.
How to thaw – Thaw slices in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a shorter period. If you froze individual slices, they’re easy to pull out one at a time whenever a craving hits.
Reheating – This cake doesn’t have to be reheated, but a few seconds in the microwave makes it taste freshly baked again. Warm a slice for about 10 to 15 seconds. That softens the glaze and brings out the cinnamon flavor beautifully.
Try not to overheat it. Too much microwave time can make the icing overly wet and the cake rubbery.
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Honey Bun Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 box Yellow cake mix
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- ¾ cup Vegetable oil
Filing:
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
Icing:
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 13×9 inch pan with a light coating of non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl combine yellow cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and vegetable oil. Use a handmixer to combine until smooth.
- In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, stir together until well mixed.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the baking pan and spread it evenly over the bottom.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the batter.
- Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the brown sugar and then spread together to cover the brown sugar.
- Place in the oven and bake on 350 F for 40 minutes.
- While the cake bakes make your icing. In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir together until smooth.
- When the cake comes out of the oven use a fork to prick the cake all over. This will allow the icing to soak in.
- Pour the icing over the warm cake making sure to cover the entire top.
- Let cool and serve.
Nutrition
