Honey Bun Cake is a twist on the classic honey bun snack cakes. Yellow cake mix is combined with sour cream for extra moistness and a layer of cinnamon sugar deliciousness and topped with a classic vanilla glaze.
Honey Bun Cake has been around for a while but has gone viral on TikTok. If you love pumpkin then pumpkin honey bun cake is perfect for you to make!
Honey Bun Cake
Honey Buns are a delicious treat for anyone, from kids to adults. This homemade honey bun cake recipe gives the delicious flavors of a honey bun (similar to a cinnamon roll) but in cake form. It’s easy to make and perfect with a morning cup of coffee or tea or as an afternoon snack after school.
How to Make a Honey Bun Cake
Here’s what you’ll need to make your Honey Bun Cake
- 2 boxes of yellow cake mix
- Eggs
- Oil
- Sour Cream
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
Here’s How to Make Honey Bun Cake Recipe
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl (a hand mixer or stand mixer both work), add all the ingredients for the first cake layer. Mix until no lumps appear.
Using a paper towel, lightly dab any pooled or excess puddles of cooking spray that have settled in the bottom of the pan. Do not wipe all of it away, just dab at it.
Pour the cake mixture into the bottom and spread evenly.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Mix until fully combined.
Sprinkle the sugar mixture, evenly, over the top of the cake batter.
Very very lightly (and gently) press down on the cinnamon sugar layer with your hand (use a glove if desired). You’re basically patting it into the batter below, very lightly, which evens it out nicely. Do not press hard.
Add all the ingredients for the second cake layer to a large mixing bowl and mix until no lumps appear.
Gently pour over the top of the sugar layer. Do not dump it all in one spot. Try to drizzle it in various spots around the cake for easier spreading.
Using a rubber spatula, slowly and gently spread the batter until it fully covers the entire top of the sugar layer and rests against every side of the pan. If you go too fast or hard, it will rip up the sugar layer.
Gently tap it on the counter and give it a slight shake so the top batter levels out.
Place the cake in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. If you go too deep, you’ll hit the sugar layer, which will definitely come back gooey, and that’s a good thing. So, make sure if you see a gooey toothpick come back, it’s not the sugar layer causing it. You don’t want a burnt cake!
Once the cake is finished, pull it out, and leave it to rest as you make the icing.
Immediately after pulling the cake from the oven, add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to a small mixing bowl, and stir until combined.
Pour it over the top of the hot cake. Using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula, evenly spread the icing to cover the entire top of the cake.
Leave to cool for about 2 hours, uncovered. Do not place it in the fridge.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Honey Bun Cake
Ingredients
First Cake Layer
- 1 Yellow Cake Mix (13.25 ounces)
- 4 Large Eggs
- ¾ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 8 Ounces Sour Cream
Sugar Layer
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
Top Cake Layer
- 1 Yellow Cake Mix (13.25 ounces)
- 4 Large Eggs
- ¾ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 8 Ounces Sour Cream
Icing
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Whole Milk
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit. Spray 9x13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl (a hand mixer or stand mixer both work), add all the ingredients for the first cake layer. Mix until no lumps appear. - Using a paper towel, lightly dab any pooled or excess puddles of cooking spray that have settled in the bottom of the pan. Do not wipe all of it away, just dab at it.
- Pour the cake mixture in the bottom and spread evenly.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Mix until fully combined.
- Sprinkle the sugar mixture, evenly, over the top of the cake batter. If you’re using the chopped pecans, sprinkle them over the top of the sugar layer.
- Very very lightly (and gently) press down on the cinnamon sugar layer with your hand (use a glove if desired). You’re basically patting it into the batter below, very lightly, which evens it out nicely. Do not press hard.
- Add all the ingredients for the second cake layer to a large mixing bowl and mix until no lumps appear.
- Gently pour over the top of the sugar layer. Do not dump it all in one spot. Try to drizzle it in various spots around the cake for easier spreading.
- Using a rubber spatula, slowly and gently spread the batter until it fully covers the entire top of the sugar layer and rests against every side of the pan. If you go too fast or hard, it will rip up the sugar layer.
- Gently tap it on the counter and give it a slight shake so the top batter levels out.
- Place the cake in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. If you go too deep, you’ll hit the sugar layer, which will definitely come back gooey, and that’s a good thing. So, make sure if you see a gooey toothpick come back, it’s not the sugar layer causing it. You don’t want a burnt cake!
- Once the cake is finished, pull it out, and leave it to rest as you make the icing.
- Immediately after pulling the cake from the oven, add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to a small mixing bowl, and stir until combined.
- Pour it over the top of the hot cake. Using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula, evenly spread the icing to cover the entire top of the cake.
- Leave to cool for about 2 hours, uncovered. Do not place it in the fridge.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Marty Olson
Friday 13th of October 2023
What size pan is used??
Jamie
Friday 13th of October 2023
9x13