Honey Bun Cake

Honey Bun Cake is an easy cake recipe. The yellow cake base is topped with a filling of light brown sugar, chopped pecans and the all important flavor of ground cinnamon. Once baked pour over a delicious honey and vanilla glaze.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword easy cake recipe, easy honey bun cake, old-fashioned honey bun cake, simple honey bun cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 15

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 320kcal

Author Tanya

Equipment

13x9-inch cake pan
Non-stick cooking spray
1 Large mixing bowl
2 Small mixing bowls
Electric hand mixer or whisk
spatula
Toothpick
Butterknife

Ingredients

Cake

13.25 oz box of yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
8 oz sour cream

Filling

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup extra chopped pecans
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp mild honey
2 1/2 tbsp milk

Instructions

Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven is heating up, spray a 13x9-inch pan with a non-stick cooking spray to prevent the cake from sticking.
Combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and sour cream in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth. You can also whisk by hand for about 2-3 minutes, until the batter is well mixed and smooth.
Pour half the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula to ensure an even layer.

Filling

In a smaller bowl, prepare the filling by mixing the brown sugar, chopped pecans, and cinnamon together until well combined. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in the pan, creating a middle layer with the filling.
Add the remaining cake batter over the filling layer, spreading it evenly with a spatula to cover the filling. The batter will not cover the filling entirely.
Using a butterknife, swirl the batter and the filling to create a marbled effect. This will distribute the filling throughout the cake, creating a swirled pattern in the finished product.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove the cake and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes.

Glaze

While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, honey, and milk in a bowl until smooth and well combined. The glaze should be pourable; if it's too thick, add a bit more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.
Pour the glaze evenly over the top, using a spatula to spread it out.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, it is ready to be sliced and served. Enjoy your homemade honeybun cake!

Notes

I prefer to let my cake cool for a few minutes before glazing. That ensures that the glaze stays nice and thick rather than melting into the cake.
Feel free to substitute other nuts in the filling, like chopped walnuts or almonds.

Nutrition