Honey Bun Cake Recipe (2024)

A Southern SoulRecipesDesserts

by Donya Mullins 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links.

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This moist, flavorful Honey Bun Cake is a ‘short-cut’ recipe that starts out as a box mix and is completely transformed by adding just a few simple pantry ingredients! With all the flavors of a classic Honey Bun, this cake is perfect to serve at any event, from weeknight dinners to cookouts and parties.

From Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, Skillet Cinnamon Apples, to Cinnamon Sugar Pizza, if you say cinnamon, I’m all in!

Honey Bun Cake Recipe (2)

Honey Bun Cake is one of those recipes that brings back special childhood memories. I remember getting a slice for weekend breakfasts and, every now and again, rewarded with an extra large piece at the end of a busy school week. Desserts like Apple Crisp, Lemon Squares, and this cake always make me smile when I think about how much happiness they’ve brought throughout the years.

What Is Honey Bun Cake?

Delicious honey bun cake is a simple dessert with all the flavor of a traditional honey bun and is actually a doctored cake mix with a light texture, a cinnamon sugar layer, and a sweet vanilla glaze. This easy cake recipe is made with pantry ingredients and baked in one pan.

Honey Bun Cake Ingredients

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  • The dry ingredients – Cake mix, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon are all you need for this cake. I use a regular yellow cake mix, but feel free to use your favorite!
  • The wet ingredients – eggs, sour cream, and vegetable oil will help pull the cake together.
  • The glaze – Powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract will make our easy glaze.

Variations and Additions

  • Try turning this into a strawberry honey bun cake by mixing the glaze with pulverized freeze-dried strawberries.
  • Try baking this as a honey bundt cake (see what I did there?) by baking it in a bundt pan. This is a festive version of the classic cake!
  • Add chopped pecans for a Southern twist. You can also use walnuts or sliced almonds.

How to Make A Honey Bun Cake

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  1. Preheat the oven and grease (you can use cooking spray) and flour a 13 x 9 pan. Using an electric mixer, combine all the cake ingredients except the brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  2. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle on the brown sugar mixture evenly.
  3. Then, pour the remaining batter on top.
  4. Use a knife to make a cinnamon swirl into a Figure 8 pattern on the top of the cake. Bake and let cool.

Success Tip: The Best Way To Grease A Cake Pan

Greasing a pan with butter is a must for cakes, no matter how non-stick it might be. But the key is to grease it with butter or spray it and dust it with flour. I like to do this by sprinkling it around the pan as best I can and then gently shaking and tapping the pan to get the flour into all the corners. I use this method for Million Dollar Pound Cake, or Southern Chocolate Pound Cake as well.

Easy To Make Vanilla Glaze

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  1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl.
  2. Pour it over the cooled cake, slice, and serve.

Tips For Making The Best Honey Bun Cake

  • DO NOT follow the instructions on the cake mix box. We are breaking the rules with this recipe and essentially making a honey bun cake from scratch.
  • Make sure to pack the brown sugar in the measuring cup, for the exact amount needed for the recipe.
  • A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean when the cake is done.
  • Let the cake cool before drizzling on the glaze.
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Recipe Questions and Answers

Is this different than coffee cake?

Yes, coffee cakes typically have a crumble on top and in the middle. This is similar to a coffee cake but better, in my opinion.

Can I use a cake mix that I make from scratch for this?

Yes, you can use a homemade yellow, vanilla, or white cake mix if you have a favorite recipe.

How do I store leftover Honey Bun Cake?

This cake will keep for about 4 to 5 days if stored properly. I recommend allowing the cake to fully cool before you cover it. You can either tightly cover the dish you baked the cake in with foil or plastic wrap, or you can transfer it to an air-tight container to store.

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Craving More? Try These Easy Dessert Recipes

  • Best Homemade Apple Crostata

  • Easy Bread Pudding Recipe

  • Easy Coconut Cake (Box Cake Mix Recipe)

  • Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake

If you tried thisHoney Bun Cake Recipeor any other recipe, please leave a 🌟star ratingand let me know how it went in thecommentsbelow. Thanks!

Honey Bun Cake Recipe (12)

5 from 7 votes

Honey Bun Cake Recipe

Author: Donya Mullins

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 737kcal

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This moist, flavorful Honey Bun Cake is a retro 'short-cut' recipe that starts out as a box mix and is completely transformed by adding just a few simple pantry ingredients! With all the flavors of a classic Honey Bun, this cake is perfect to serve at any event from weeknight dinners to cookouts and parties, it's always a family favorite.

Equipment

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 box (18.25 Oz. Box) Yellow Cake Mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13 X 9 inch pan.

  • In a large bowl combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream and oil, using a hand mixer.

  • In a separate bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon

  • Pour ½ of the cake batter into the baking pan. Top with cinnamon sugar, making sure to sprinkle evenly. Pour the remaining batter into the cake pan spreading evenly.

  • Using a knife, swirl a figure 8 pattern into the cake batter.

  • While cake is baking, make the glaze.

  • When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Pour the glaze over the cake.

  • Cut into squares and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 737kcal | Carbohydrates: 113g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 523mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 86g | Vitamin A: 318IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 2mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Rate & Comment

  1. Honey Bun Cake Recipe (15)Edie

    I haven’t tried this but the recipe calls for the older 18.25oz mix vs the 15.25oz mixes that are on the market now. Do you adjust the liquid measure any to account for the 1/6 less volume in the cake mix?

    Reply

Honey Bun Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is honey bun icing made of? ›

combine honey, butter , sugar,and milk in any size pot, then turn the stove on to 4 or 5 whichever you like best. Toast hamburger buns in toaster or toaster oven until golden brown. And ice when icing is still hot.

What's the difference between a cinnamon roll and a honey bun? ›

Unlike their close cousin, the cinnamon roll, these honey buns don't just offer soft, ooey-gooey vibes. They're more complex in flavor, with deeply caramelized nooks and crannies, floral notes of honey, and the chew of a well-developed yeast bread.

Is a honey bun a snack cake? ›

Honey buns are little snack cakes made by Little Debbie that are kind of like fried cinnamon rolls that are glazed on the outside. You might have enjoyed them in lunches growing up or grabbed one from a vending machine before. They are tasty little treats!

Are honey buns made by Little Debbie? ›

Soft, golden and tasty, Little Debbie® Honey Buns are the sweet and flavorful snack that satisfies all day. Prepared with hints of cinnamon, a touch of honey, and dripping with a light glaze, it's easy to understand why this delicious pastry swirl is a Little Debbie favorite.

Who makes the original honey bun? ›

As the story goes it was Louis Griffin's brother, Howard Griffin, who developed the first honey bun in 1954, and it's been a best-seller ever since. “In the early 50's they were making cinnamon rolls,” Nelson Jr. said.

What is in a Little Debbie honey bun? ›

Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Barley Malt, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1] Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Water, Sugar, Palm Oil, Palm and Soybean Oils with TBHQ and Citric Acid to Protect Flavor, Dextrose, Yeast, Contains 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Soy Flour, Nonfat Dry ...

What is the best brand of honey buns? ›

Mrs. Freshley's® honey buns just may be the most award-winning honey buns in America. We certainly think they're the most delicious.

What is an American honey bun? ›

A honey bun, or honeybun, is a fried yeast pastry that contains honey and a swirl of cinnamon in the dough and is glazed with icing.

What is slang for cinnamon bun? ›

synonym ▲ Synonym: cinnamon bun. (slang, neologism) A person perceived as good, gentle and kind. Often a fictional character who undergoes emotional suffering.

Is a sticky bun the same as a honey bun? ›

Sticky buns (also referred to as honey buns or caramel buns) originated in Germany. Sticky buns were introduced to Americans by the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers as a sweet breakfast bread filled with brown sugar, nuts, and sometimes cinnamon.

What are Little Debbie snacks called? ›

The top-selling Little Debbie varieties are Oatmeal Creme Pies, Swiss Cake Rolls and Nutty Buddy Wafer Bars. McKee Foods sells more than 200 million cartons of these three products every year.

What is a Hoho snack cake? ›

Ho Hos are small, cylindrical, frosted, cream-filled chocolate snack cakes with a pinwheel design based on the Swiss roll. Made by Hostess Brands, they are similar to Yodels by Drake's and Swiss Cake Rolls by Little Debbie.

Is a honey bun healthy? ›

Honey buns, due to their calorie content and added sugars, are not typically considered a healthy breakfast option. It is advisable to opt for more nutrient-dense choices like whole grain cereals, yogurt, or fruits.

What does a honey bun have in it? ›

Made with sweet dough, each pastry has a touch of cinnamon and honey then they are topped with a light glaze. They are great warmed for a few seconds in the microwave and enjoyed with a warm cup of coffee.

Does honey cake contain honey? ›

A good honey cake is made with honey as the primary sweetener. It will probably also have some granulated sugar, because that contributes to the structure, but it isn't honey cake without honey in the mix. The recipe I use also includes orange juice and whiskey, but that's just me.

What are the ingredients in Little Debbie honey buns? ›

ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, BARLEY MALT, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, PALM OIL, DEXTROSE, PALM AND SOYBEAN OILS WITH TBHQ AND CITRIC ACID TO PROTECT FLAVOR, YEAST.

Is honey cake made of egg? ›

Ingredients for Honey Cake Recipe

Soft Unsalted Butter - 100 grams. Baking Powder - 1.5 tsp. Salt - ¼ tsp. Eggs - 2.

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