Honey Bun Cake is made with yellow cake mix, cinnamon brown sugar filling and topped with a sweet honey glaze. A popular favorite!
A HONEY BUN INSPIRED CAKE RECIPE
This easy glazed honey bun cake tastes just like those yummy snack cakes. Actually, it tastes way better than any snack cake. This cake is so moist and delicious that everyone will swear it was made from scratch!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
When you add a filling and a homemade icing or frosting, it really elevates the whole taste. Also, by adding the additional sour cream we're changing the flavor just slightly and helping to make it super moist. The cake mix doesn't taste like a boxed cake mix anymore.
Honey Bun Cake is a doctored up cake mix cake that has a cinnamon roll like flavor. It is inspired by the honey bun pastry that has a glaze topping.
This adds moistness to the cake. Along with the sour cream, this all makes the cake super moist!
My personal favorite is Duncan Hines. I've tried them all and I think Duncan Hines yellow cake mix works best here but obviously use your favorite brand.
Just make a homemade yellow cake batter and continue with the directions for the filling and glaze and bake as directed.
Sock it to me cake is just like a honey bun cake (a yellow cake with a cinnamon filling in the middle) and is made in a bundt pan. So it's almost exactly like a honey bun cake but made in a bundt pan rather than a 9x13-inch pan. Sock it to me cake usually has pecans in the filling as well.
Keep cake covered and refrigerated. It will keep for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen. Just wrap well to protect against freezer burn and it will last for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- yellow cake mix
- eggs
- sour cream
- vegetable oil
- light brown sugar
- ground cinnamon
- powdered sugar
- milk
- vanilla extract
- honey (optional)
HOW TO MAKE HONEY BUN CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. and mix until combined. In a medium bowl stir together the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and oil and mix until well-incorporated
In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until well-blended; set aside.
Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
Add all of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture to the top, covering the entire layer of batter.
Pour the rest of the cake batter on top. And spread the batter until even.
Place the cake into the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. While the cake is baking, make the glaze. In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and honey (if using) until glaze is smooth. I like mine just a bit thick but still pourable.
When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately pour glaze onto the warm cake.
Spread the glaze out a bit to evenly cover cake.
Let the cake sit for a few minutes so the glaze can set and serve warm or at room temperature.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally posted: February 2011
Updated & republished: January 2021
Honey Bun Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¾ cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4-6 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon honey, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl stir together the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, and oil and mix until well-incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until well-blended; set aside.
- Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 13×9 pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Add all of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture to the top, covering the entire layer of batter.
- Pour the rest of the cake batter on top, and spread the batter out as evenly as possible.
- Place the cake into the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, make the glaze. In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until glaze is smooth.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately pour glaze onto the hot cake.
- Spread it out evenly. Slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Any uneaten cake should be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- This cake can also be frozen. Make sure cake is stored in a covered, airtight container. Cake may be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Diane Barker
Can one use a spice cake mix instead of yellow.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I don't see why not
Natalia
This is my new favorite cake ever!! So moist and delicious it’s very hard to stop eating it.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
YAY! Thanks so much Natalia!!!
Dee
This sounds delicious, but could I make these as cupcakes instead of cake, and if so, how long should I bake them for?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Dee! I am sure you absolutely could. I haven't tested it yet so couldn't really give you a time on it for cupcakes though. You may have to play it by ear 🙂
Amanda
Best recipe!!
Hayley
Do you mix the honey in with the cake mix or with the glaze?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hayley, the honey goes in with the glaze 🙂
Natali
Hi, I do not have yellow cake mix in my country. What ingredients can I put in place? Thanks in advance
Brandie @ The Country Cook
You can use your favorite vanilla cake recipe for this 🙂
Melanie W
This cake is AMAZING!!! So good!!! I made it for the weekend because my parents were in town and there's one piece left! 🙂
Diana
My mother wants me to make that cake, so I'll make it for her someday soon and, also, I wrote down the recipe, so I'm going to use it as a shopping list. Maybe I'll bake it this year on Halloween or Thanksgiving!
Anonymous
This looks yummy but I thought it would have honey in it. Honey buns you get at the store have honey listed in the ingredients. I love cinnamon so I may make it anyhow and maybe put some honey in the glaze. I love most all of your recipes. Thanks!
Tiffani
About how many ounces for the milk it looks like more then 4-6 tbsp is it 1/4 2 ozs wanna make sure I measure it correct
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Folks always measure powdered sugar differently. Some pack it in - some don't. Some overmeasure and some don't. So that is why I say 4-6 tbsp. So, what I would say is start with 4 tbsp. You can always add more but you can't take it away. Whisk it really good and see if you like the thickness. If you want it thinner, just add a bit more milk until you get it where you want it. 🙂
Katherine
I absolutely love that you take pictures of ingredients and each step as you go along... this is so helpful.. thank you!
Tania P
I have gotten rave reviews on this cake from every event that I take it to, and have gotten requestts for it.
I also have to keep printing the recipe, because I give my hard copy to whoever asks for it.
Simply a great cake.
Another request, so here we go again!
Michele Pridgeon
I made this last night to go with my corned beef, potatoes, carrots and cabbage dinner. It was the perfect complement to the meal. My mother-in-law asked for the recipe because she wants to make it for her sorority get together next month. Thanks for the recipe!
Tiffani
Thank you will do an FYI I love your recipes ever since I started using my crockpot a year ago you have been my go to my family loves what I cook an I have fun making it. Cant wait to make this cake getting my ingredients today thanks WE LOVE YOU!!!