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 make all kinds of cake. Mostly from scratch. Okay I made two of these cake and I double the recipe for each one. One for my family and one to share. I never got to share the second one. This cake is sooo good and so easy to make. They started on the second one and secretly I was so happy because I don't do box cakes. This one was great with less work.
I love this recipe and my daughter said it's the best cake she has ever had, yummy! It's also perfect with the cooler months coming.
Mmmm. Looks great! I will try when fall rolls around. Too hot( August) now for the oven. Thanks!
How have I never stumbled upon your site?!?! Immediately I've bookmarked you! And am honestly considering to tell the church I'll be making ALL the desserts for potluck from here on!! Haha!! Is it bad if I just take 3 desserts instead of a meal, salad and dessert?? These are beautiful and mouthwatering just to look at….. Xoxo can't wait to try! God bless! ????MH
WOW! I tried this recipe the other day and it came out so good that i have made 2 more times since! I run a small BBQ takeaway restaurant in central Ohio and i am always looking for new desserts to make. Thanks for giving me lots of great options!
I made this last night and IT WAS GREAT!!! Thank you for posting it.
I poke holes in mine to get the icing to the bottom as well.
I take it to church socials and only the crumbs are left.
I was just wandering when cake comes out of oven if you could do like a poke cake and poke holes through it and then pour the glaze over it?
Making this for my baby for VDay 🙂 he loves honey buns! I ran into a little problem though. The biggest box of cake mix i could find was 16.5oz. Will this still work ok?
I made this last night, and it was much better after sitting overnight! Delicious!
Made these this morning for five and my six children and they loved them!! So yummy, so moist, so soft, so sweet, so gonna make these again!! Thanks for sharing :).
I don't like cake very much (I'm an ice cream kind of girl) but I really really liked this cake!! I am thinking of trying to do it in cupcakes for my little guys birthday tomorrow!
I baked this yesterday for a family dinner……well….it was just crazy insane FABULOUS! It is beyond delicious! I find it very exciting to try a new recipe and it comes out this dang good!
This looks soooo good! Thanks for sharing!
I was so excited to find this recipe! I have had Honey Bun Cake once before and it was awesome! I haven't been able to find a recipe for it since! I made it as soon as I found it. In fact, I made Honey Bun Cupcakes today. I gave you a shout out on my teaching blog today. Let me clarify, I do a post each Monday called "Mouth-Watering Monday" where I post a favorite recipe. Your Honey Bun Cake is my recipe this week! Hop on over to check it out!
http://krazyfunteaching.blogspot.com/2012/08/mouth-watering-monday_13.html
I hope you enjoy it!
Holly
Oh I love hearing that!! The cook should always have dibs on the first taste! Thank you so much for letting me know! 🙂
I just took this out of the oven 20 minutes ago. I had to cut it and try it right then. My house smells so good and this cake is out of this world! I am sure when everyone gets home there won't be much left!!! Great recipe!!!
OH MY WORD!! I am in love with the deliciousness and simplicity of this cake! It didnt last very long with my family and coworkers either! Adding this to the recipe book! Gotta love semi homemade!
Taste just like a honey bun! I loved it and could not stop eating it. Thanks for the recipe.
I made this cake before for my kids school carnival for the cake walk. When it was their turn to pick a baked item, I MADE them pick mine and then we went home and ate it. I'm so glad I did!! So yummy!!!
Oh dear.. Im afraid I MUST make this soon. 😉 Thanks!
It's in my oven right now and smells divine. So easy to make! I can't wait to taste it!
I made this for the first time ever this past weekend. It was gone, lickety split. Made it for my friend two days later. She's been singing my praises since. What a fabulous cake! Thank you for sharing the love.
Kathy – so happy you liked it!!