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Honeybun Cake

This sticky-sweet honeybun cake is a moist sheet cake swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar and topped with honey icing. It’s simple to make and perfect for dessert, or as a breakfast treat with coffee or tea!

Why You’ll Love This Honeybun Cake Recipe

This honeybun cake is a deliciously gooey, sweet-and-sticky sheet cake filled with ribbons of cinnamon sugar and topped with honey glaze. You’ll love tucking into a slice with a cozy cup of coffee in the morning, or with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. Here’s why:

  • Sheet cake-style. Sheet cake recipes are wonderfully un-fussy. You can make this cake without frosting layers or wiggling a cake out of a bundt pan. You can even serve this honeybun cake straight from the pan (win!).
  • Rich flavors. If you love the cozy flavors of cinnamon rolls and coffee cake, you’ll go crazy for this honeybun cake. It has soft yellow cake layers filled with a buttery cinnamon sugar swirl, drizzled with creamy honey icing.
  • Anytime cake. Like my cinnamon roll cake, this sweet honeybun cake is the perfect excuse to eat cake for breakfast (in case you need one). It’s a versatile recipe that’s delicious any time of the day.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a short overview of what you need to make a soft and moist honey bun cake. You’ll find a link to the recipe below the post with a printable ingredients list.

  • Butter –Softened to room temperature.
  • Sugar – I use light brown sugar. Granulated white sugar also works.
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla – For the best flavor, make sure it’s real vanilla extract.
  • Salt
  • Leavening – This cake uses a combination of baking powder and baking soda.
  • Flour
  • Sour Cream – My secret for ultra-moist and tender cake. You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt or plain yogurt if needed.
  • Cinnamon Sugar – It’s very easy to make cinnamon sugar with a combination of ground cinnamon and brown sugar. You’ll combine it with melted butter for a cinnamon swirl.
  • Glaze – I include a simple glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, honey, and a touch of vanilla, for drizzling over the cake.

What’s the Difference Between a Honey Bun and a Cinnamon Roll?

Classic honeybuns are close relatives of cinnamon rolls, and they’re both sweet rolls. However, cinnamon rolls are baked, while honeybuns are traditionally fried. While the main flavor in cinnamon rolls is cinnamon, the flavor in honeybuns is more caramelized, and sweetened with honey.

How to Make a Honey Bun Cake

Make this heavenly honeybun cake in just a few quick steps, outlined below. Scroll down to the recipe link for printable recipe instructions.

  • Make the cake batter. Cream together the butter and sugar. Afterward, add the eggs, vanilla, salt, and leavening ingredients. Slowly incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients, mixing until the batter is just combined, and lastly, stir in the sour cream.
  • Fill the pan. Add half of the cake batter to a greased 9×13” baking pan. Mix the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl, and sprinkle the mixture over the cake layer. Spread the remaining cake batter over top.
  • Bake. Bake the cake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes. It should be set in the center, so test it for doneness using a toothpick. 
  • Glaze. While the cake is still warm, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle the glaze all over the cake, and then allow it to cool and set.

Tips and Variations

I love the nostalgia and simplicity of a moist, tender sheet cake, don’t you? Keep these recipe tips and easy variations in mind for your homemade honeybun cake:

  • Don’t overmix the cake batter. Mix the dry and wet ingredients until they’re just combined. Overmixing leads to a dense, tough cake.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature. Warm slices of honeybun cake in the microwave for an extra indulgent dessert with a glass of milk. Or, enjoy it at room temperature. This cake is delicious either way!
  • Time-saving hack. If you’re pressed for time, make the cake batter from a box of yellow cake mix. 
  • Add nuts. Add chopped pecans to the cinnamon sugar filling for some extra crunch.

How to Store

  • To Store. Store this honeybun sheet cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can keep the cake in the fridge if you prefer, but I recommend serving it at room temperature.
  • Freeze. Freeze this cake whole or in slices, tightly wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, for up to 2-3 months. Defrost the cake at room temperature before serving. 

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Close-up of a slice of honeybun cake on a plate with a fork

Honeybun Cake

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  • Author: Shelly
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 1012 servings 1x
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This sticky-sweet honeybun cake is a moist sheet cake swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar and topped with creamy honey glaze.


Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups, packed Light Brown Sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 1/4 all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sour cream

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze

  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar Shaker
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat butter and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Add in eggs, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and mix for an additional minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the mixer to low and add in flour, mixing until just combined.
  4. Finally, mix in sour cream on low speed until incorporated and smooth.
  5. Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
  6. In a medium bowl combine Cinnamon Sugar Swirl ingredients until mixed. Drop mixture by spoonful onto the cake batter evenly.
  7. Spread the remaining cake batter on top of the cinnamon mixture.
  8. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until the center is set.
  9. When cake is done prepare glaze by whisking all ingredients together in a large bowl. Drizzle glaze on top of the cake while it’s still warm. Allow the glaze to set.
  10. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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6 comments on “Honeybun Cake”

  1. This sounds so good. Great for Christmas brunch. Thanks for sharing.

    Wishes for tasty dishes,
    Linda @ Tumbleweed Contessa

  2. Oh my goodness Shelly, this cake is the bomb! I love how simple it looks too, and that glaze is calling my name!

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