Honey Bun Cake (+Video)
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 9×13-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
- 1 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 9×13-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 and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I love recipes that start with cake mix! Thanks so much for posting this! It's going on my TRY list!
I get in baking moods too, AND I love recipes that use cake mixes — for those times I need something fast and easy.
My Dad loves honey buns — this looks like it would be a winner in his book — saving in my recipe file!
With a name like "Honey Bun Cake" how can anyone resist. Fabulous cake and love the easy recipe!
Oh Girl…you are after my heart with this Honey Bun Cake, it looks so delicious!
Yum! This looks fantastic. Honey Bun Cake is a great idea!
Well I'll be. I have never had a honey bun cake. Looks amazing. Wish I had some with my coffee right about now. Great post!
This looks like something even a baking-challenged cook like myself could handle — and impress folks! Not to mention loving it myself. Thanks for sharing.
i don't think i've ever had a honey bun…this looks so scrumptious.. probably shouldn't be reading food blogs at this hour! i have to try some now! =)
I've never actually had a honey bun, and they don't really appeal to me, but this cake sure does. I could eat it all in one fell swoop!
Sounds easy and it looks divine!
A cake that tastes like a honey bun? Yumm! It looks so simple to make too, I love it!
Oh this looks so tasty! I'm adding this on my list of things to bake! Maybe I'll do an episode on my blog about this tasty cake!
Love honey buns (hehe!), so this looks amazing!
This cake sounds super yummy! And very light, perfect with my morning coffee!
Yep. Winter is certainly pushing us all to the sweet side, although your meatballs had be seriously tempted for something savoury! I lOVE the name of the cake.
Wow this looks and sounds delicious! Yum!
Honey Bun Cake is one of my very favorites!!! Love this recipe 🙂
You know, it has been a while since I made this for my family. I think I just might have to do that one day very soon.
And, like you, I seem to be on a sweet kick recently. I'm posting a sweet treat recipe today too 🙂
Jenn
I definitely need to make this one. Honey buns are my sons favorite treat and that looks yummy!
Yum, with the morning coffee…lovely recipe:)
I would love a slice of this cake right now. Gotta love a fuss-free cake and the convenience of a box mix. Yummy!
Oooh, boy, so simple and yet delicious! I'm going to tuck this away for my typical days when I don't have time to make homemade ricotta for my cheesecake 😉 Love these shortcut recipes! Thanks, Brandie!
Oh my that looks good!
Great Cake! My dad, who is 91 , and in a nursing home, loves Little Debbie's Honey Buns. I be that he'd like this cake, so I'm going to make it for him. Thanks for sharing!
I love this easy to make cake. Such a great idea!
This cake is so yummy! I tried it a few weeks ago after seeing it on tasty kitchen, and it was a crowd pleaser:)