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Slice of honey bun cake with cinnamon swirl and vanilla glaze on a white plate

Honey Bun Cake Recipe

A moist, cinnamon-swirled sheet cake made with yellow cake mix and sour cream, layered with brown sugar-cinnamon swirl and finished with a warm vanilla glaze. Sara tested 3 bases to find the moistest version — sour cream wins clearly. 15 minutes prep, 40 minutes bake, stays moist for days.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 15 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Batter
  • 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25 oz — any brand; do not use white cake mix
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream full-fat — see notes for cream cheese variation
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg optional, adds warm depth
Vanilla Glaze
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 3 tbsp whole milk plus more to thin if needed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or baking spray, coating the bottom and all sides. The brown sugar in the swirl can stick to an under-greased pan.
    Honey bun cake ingredients: yellow cake mix box, sour cream, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon
Make the Batter and Swirl
  1. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Mix until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Do NOT follow the box instructions for liquid ratios. This is a different formula producing a significantly different cake.
    Honey bun cake ingredients: yellow cake mix box, sour cream, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the packed brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using) until combined.
    Honey bun cake ingredients: yellow cake mix box, sour cream, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon
  3. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Sprinkle the entire cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter in an even layer, reaching edge to edge. Pour the remaining batter on top and spread gently to cover completely.
    Knife creating cinnamon swirl through honey bun cake batter in 9x13 baking pan
  4. Run a butter knife through the batter in 3-4 straight linear passes from one end of the pan to the other. Stop there. The batter should look marbled with visible brown cinnamon ribbons. Over-swirling disperses the cinnamon into the batter and destroys the pocket effect.
    Knife creating cinnamon swirl through honey bun cake batter in 9x13 baking pan
Bake and Glaze
  1. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Start checking at 33 minutes — a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean and the edges should be lightly golden. Ovens vary; check by the toothpick test, not just the timer.
    Slice of honey bun cake with cinnamon swirl and vanilla glaze on a white plate
  2. While the cake bakes, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. The glaze should run freely off a spoon. If too thick, add milk half a teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time.
    Slice of honey bun cake with cinnamon swirl and vanilla glaze on a white plate
  3. The moment the cake comes out of the oven, pour the glaze evenly over the entire surface. Do not wait — the warm, open crumb absorbs the glaze. A cooled cake holds the glaze as a crust on top rather than absorbing it. Let the cake rest 15 minutes before slicing.
    Slice of honey bun cake with cinnamon swirl and vanilla glaze on a white plate

Notes

Use full-fat sour cream for the moistest result. Low-fat or fat-free sour cream produces a noticeably drier cake. Swirl passes: 3-4 linear passes maximum — over-swirling disperses the cinnamon pockets into the batter. Pour the glaze on the hot cake immediately out of the oven; waiting causes the glaze to crust on the surface instead of absorbing. Stays moist at room temperature for 3-4 days covered.