This moist, indulgent, old-fashioned Honey Bun Cake is one of the best sweet treats! It's one of our most popular dessert recipes on the site, and for good reason - the brown sugar and cinnamon cake mix is topped with a sweet glaze for a bite straight from heaven!
Who doesn't love a super sweet dessert that's layered with brown sugar and cinnamon? This tried and true classic Honey Bun Cake recipe never disappoints and is requested all the time by family and friends for potlucks, picnics, and birthdays.
This recipe is inspired by my grade school. It was one of the most loved desserts by all of the kids because it's truly addicting. I developed an identical recipe many years ago and it's been passed around to all of our neighbors and friends, trust me when I say it's so delicious!
Save The Recipe!
Add your email below and we’ll send it straight to your inbox+ you’ll receive all our newest recipes!
We wanted to make this dessert recipe easy for bakers of all levels, so we use a box yellow cake mix as the base. The flavors of this cake are the perfect mix of a store-bought honey bun and a cinnamon roll.
We most often serve it for dessert, but some folks like to have it for a sweet breakfast or brunch treat. If you love an easy dessert recipe, try our Cracker Barrel Coca Cola Cake or Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake.
OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious!! This is a GREAT cake to make for a brunch, to have friends over for coffee or anytime!!! - Debi
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy to Make: Bakers of all levels will make this treat successfully!
- Less than 10 simple ingredients: We kept it easy, all of the ingredients are simple to find. The base uses a box mix for extra ease.
- Perfect Any Time of Day: This moist cake served with a glass of milk or hot cup of coffee is the kind of treat perfect for dessert, afternoon snack, a sweet breakfast addition or for a holiday brunch!
- Nostalgic Memories: If you love that classic Honey Bun flavor or a cinnamon roll, then this sweet treat is for you. It combines both into one unbelievable cake.
Ingredients
Scroll Down to the Bottom of this Post for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card
Cake Ingredients:
- Cream Cheese: Makes the cake mix extra rich.
- Eggs: Binds everything together and adds richness.
- Oil: Makes for a moist bite! Use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable.
- Box of Yellow Cake Mix (or homemade as noted below): The basic dry ingredients you'll need.
- Brown Sugar: The layer in between that's extremely decadent. Dark or light brown sugar can be used.
- Ground Cinnamon: The warm spice that adds flavor everyone loves.
Glaze Ingredients:
- Powdered Sugar: Be sure to sift confectioners' sugar to remove any lumps.
- Milk: Binds the glaze together.
- Vanilla Extract or Paste: Flavors the glaze with rich, warm flavors.
Tools You’ll Need
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatula
- 13"x9" Baking Dish
How to Make Honey Bun Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, oil, and the cake mix. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. If adding nuts, mix in as well.
- Pour half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Dollop the remaining batter over the top of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Spread in an even layer for full cake coverage.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- When finished baking, remove it from the oven and allow it cool for 5 minutes. Poke holes over the entire cake.
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Let it cool completely before slicing. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Expert Tips and Substitutions
- Swap out the cream cheese. The cream cheese can be substituted with 1 cup of sour cream. You can do this if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Make a homemade yellow cake mix. If you want to substitute the boxed cake mix with a from-scratch version, here are the ingredients: 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 tsp salt
- Add nuts for more texture. We love adding ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the brown sugar cinnamon mixture layer.
- Ice the cake while it's still warm. This is crucial for that crackly sweet topping. We like to also poke holes into the top before glazing so that the icing seeps into the cake mix too.
Storage
Store leftover honeybun cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. This dessert is great to make in advance before guests arrive at a party.
We don't recommend freezing since it will change the texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the sweet vanilla glaze will naturally collect at the sides. However, as you pour on the icing, you can gently pull it from the sides to the center of the cake while it's still warm with a butter knife.
Of course! It'll simply be lighter in color but will turn out equally as delicious!
The glaze will seep down in the holes created in the hot cake and along the edges. It also creates an amazing top texture to the cake and helps keep it super moist.
You can use any neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil. You can also substitute with melted butter. The texture and flavor will slightly vary.
The cake mix used in the recipe was not gluten-free, but there are gluten-free cake mixes available that can be substituted.
Honeybun cake is a moist, cinnamon swirl cake topped with sweet glaze. Features moist yellow cake, cinnamon, caramel flavors, and a soft, tender texture—honey bun cake tastes like the classic honey buns and is perfect for breakfast or dessert.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
Honey Bun Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup oil
- 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix box or homemade substitute
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Glaze
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, oil and the cake mix. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. If adding pecans, mix in as well.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter.
- Dollop the remaining cake batter over the top of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Spread in an even layer for full cake coverage.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- When the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and allow it cool for 5 minutes. Poke holes over the entire cake.
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the warm cake. Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips and Substitutions
- Swap out the cream cheese. The cream cheese can be substituted with 1 cup of sour cream. You can do this if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Make a homemade yellow cake mix. If you want to substitute the boxed cake mix with a from-scratch version, here are the ingredients: 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 tsp salt
- Add nuts for more texture. We love adding ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the brown sugar cinnamon mixture layer.
- Ice the cake while it's still warm. This is crucial for that crackly sweet topping. We like to also poke holes into the top before glazing so that the icing seeps into the cake mix too.
Marie
This cake is to DIE FOR! I made it from scratch using your substitution list for the yellow cake mix as well as sour cream instead of cream cheese and it turned out perfectly. It’s super decadent and moist.
Laura Ashley
This makes my heart so happy to hear! THANK YOU so much for making it and sharing how much of a hit it was!!
Alfreda
please send me homemade recipe version for Honey Bun cake.
Thank you
Laura Ashley
The homemade cake is listed under Tips and Substitutions on this recipe page. I hope you love it!
Angel McNabb
I made the frosting and it wasn’t enough to cover the cake. Did I make too many holes?? Or make the holes too deep??? I even made extra with what powdered sugar I had left over and it STILL WASNT ENOUGH!! I used 2 1/2 cups first time and 1/2 cup milk. So I followed the directions correctly. 🙁
Laura Ashley
Hi Angel! I'm sorry you experienced this with the cake. I haven't received this feedback for this cake from the reviews I've gotten. I'm not sure what happened as it is the correct amount on the recipe and it is a very light icing coating that it yields on top. Maybe there were too many holes, but the taste/sweetness would have still been there. I'm not sure how else to troubleshoot other than that.
Debi
“Allow to cool before slicing”. Girl, you may be asking A LITTLE TOO MUCH with that step! I did dig DEEP and found a tiny bit of Will power to wait and hour, and I think it’s important (but NOT easy!!). OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious!! This is a GREAT cake to make for a brunch, to have friends over for coffee or anytime!!! Huge hit, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Laura Ashley
WOW, Debi!! This is amazing! I’m SOOO excited that you made this and loved it so much!! It makes my heart so happy! You’re right…waiting is the hardest part haha! Thank you again, Debi!
Vicki Dowell
I love this recipe because of the cake mix substitution. I rarely buy cake mix unless I have an event coming up so when I'm in the mood for something sweet I usually bake from scratch. I have made this recipe four times now, twice for my family, a church potluck and a bake sale. Each time it has been a hit. I have one in the oven now with the sour cream substitute and the cake mix substitute. Real comfort food.
Laura Ashley
Oh, Vicki! This is the sweetest review ever! Thank you so much for making it and loving it! It means so much to me that you’ve made it multiple times too! THANK YOU!!
Tiffany
The milk in the glaze wont be a problem when leaving the cake at room temperature for up to 5 days? i ask cause I definitely don't want to put it in the fridge and I want to make sure
Laura Ashley
Yes, it will be ok at room temperature 🙂
Cathy Zachem
My daughter loves honey buns so I knew I had to make her this cake. Oh my word, it turned out absolutely delicious! Better than the actual snack!
My daughter loved it and we will keep this recipe on hand always!
Laura Ashley
Aww!! It makes my heart so happy to hear that you made it and that your sweet girl liked it so much! THANK YOU!!
Helen
I made your Honey Bun Cake for our July 4th family get together. So easy and so delicious! I enjoyed some with my morning coffee. Thank you!
Laura Ashley
That makes my heart SO HAPPY!! Thank you so much!! I love that you made it and that it was such a hit!
Daiquiri
This was amazing!!! Thinking of adding pumpkin, do you have any idea how much I should use and should I add pumpkin spices?
Laura Ashley
I have a pumpkin honey bun cake coming up this season. I'm excited to share it!
Nikol
instead of the icing we chose to used whipped honey. it adds an amazing flavor and gas quickly become a favorite. let it sit overnight and it's so much better the next day
Laura Ashley
That's a such a great idea1! YUM!! 🙂
Sarah B
Ahhhh-mazing!!!
I was all baked out and found you on TikTok while searching for a “semi-homemade” recipe to serve alongside my Xmas cookies tomorrow.
This cake is fantastic!!! I added chopped praline pecans which worked well.. I’m looking forward to going through your site in the New year. Thanks so much!!
🎄😍✨
Laura Ashley
Awwww!! That makes my heart so happy to hear!! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I'm SO HAPPY you're here and that you came across this recipe on TikTok! SO COOL! I love the addition of the praline pecans. I hope you have a very blessed and happy new year!