Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake is everything you love about a honey bun, baked in a 9×13 pan: a soft, moist sweet potato cake made from a box of yellow cake mix, a gooey ribbon of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans through the middle, and a sweet glaze drizzled over the top while it’s still warm. It cuts into 16 pieces.
How to make it: Stir yellow cake mix with sour cream, eggs, oil, vanilla and mashed sweet potato. Pour half the batter into a greased 9×13 dish, spread the brown sugar and pecan mixture over it, top with the rest of the batter and swirl gently. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, then drizzle a powdered sugar glaze over the warm cake.
Why You’ll Love It
- Starts with a cake mix: the box does the measuring; the sweet potato and sour cream make it taste homemade.
- A gooey cinnamon swirl: the brown sugar layer bakes into a sticky, spiced ribbon.
- Fall flavor in every bite: sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans.
- Feeds a crowd: 16 squares from one pan, perfect for a potluck or holiday table.
Ingredient Notes
Yellow cake mix: One 15.25-ounce box, used dry. The eggs, oil and sour cream here replace what’s on the box, so don’t follow the package directions.
Mashed sweet potato: One cup. Baked or canned both work. Measure it after mashing: sweet potatoes vary so much in size that counting potatoes isn’t reliable.
Sour cream, eggs and oil: A cup of sour cream, 4 large eggs and 3/4 cup of canola oil keep the cake rich and moist. Vegetable oil works too.
The swirl: A cup of brown sugar with a tablespoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/3 cup of chopped pecans.
The glaze: A cup of powdered sugar thinned with 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk.
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (baked or canned)
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup brown sugar (swirl)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (swirl)
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (swirl)
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans (swirl)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (glaze)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk (glaze)
How to Make Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, reaching the bottom, sides and corners.
2. Mix the batter. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the yellow cake mix, sour cream, eggs, canola oil and vanilla until combined. Add the mashed sweet potatoes and stir well.
3. Make the brown sugar mixture. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together until well mixed. Add the chopped pecans and stir well.
4. Layer the batter. Pour half of the batter into the greased dish. Spread the brown sugar mixture evenly over the batter.
5. Top and swirl. Spoon the remaining batter on top. Run a butter knife through the layers to swirl them together gently, without mixing them completely.
6. Bake. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Glaze the warm cake. Put the powdered sugar in a small bowl and add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well, until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle it over the warm cake.
Getting the Sweet Potato, Swirl and Glaze Right
Three small details decide how this cake turns out:
| Detail | What to do |
|---|---|
| Smooth sweet potato | Mash it until smooth; if it’s stringy, blend it in a food processor for 15 to 20 seconds or press it through a fine mesh strainer |
| A real swirl | Keep the brown sugar layer in the middle and swirl only gently with a knife, so you see ribbons, not a uniform brown cake |
| No sticking | Grease every inch of the dish, corners included; the swirl turns sticky as it bakes |
| A glaze that soaks in | Drizzle it over the warm cake so it seeps into the nooks and dries glossy |
Warm or cooled glaze? Glazing the warm cake lets the glaze melt into it. If you prefer a thicker layer that sits on top, cool the cake completely in the dish, about 30 minutes, then spread the icing and let it set about 10 minutes.
Let it cool before cutting. Give the cake at least 20 minutes after glazing so the swirl sets and the squares hold together.
Tips for Success
Baking your own sweet potatoes
Bake them until they’re very tender, let them cool, then peel and mash them well. Canned sweet potatoes, drained and mashed, save a step.
Don’t overmix the layers
A few passes with a butter knife is all it takes. It’s fine if some of the brown sugar filling stays visible on top.
Add the milk slowly
One tablespoon at a time keeps the glaze pourable but not watery.
Variations
- Cream cheese batter: beat 4 ounces of softened cream cheese into the batter for a richer, denser cake.
- Warmer spice: add a teaspoon of ground ginger to the swirl.
- No nuts: leave the pecans out of the swirl.
- Vanilla glaze: whisk 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
- Maple icing: whisk 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of milk and a tablespoon of pure maple syrup, and spread it on the cooled cake.
Storage
Keep the cake tightly covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let a cold slice sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so it softens.
To freeze, wrap the unglazed cake or single slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, then glaze.
What to Serve With It
Serve a square with coffee for brunch, or as dessert after a holiday dinner with sweet potatoes with marshmallows or a Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole on the table. For more easy cake-mix desserts, try a pecan pie dump cake, a cinnamon roll coffee cake, Bea’s blueberry sheet cake or a slow cooker lemon lush.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there honey in honey bun cake?
No. It’s a cake that’s reminiscent of a glazed honey bun, with a brown sugar cinnamon swirl and a sweet glaze, but there’s no honey in the batter or the glaze.
What’s the secret to a good honey bun cake?
A gentle swirl that keeps the brown sugar layer in ribbons, a well-greased pan, and glaze poured over the cake while it’s warm.
Can I use canned sweet potatoes?
Yes. Drain them and mash them until smooth, then measure 1 cup.
How do I know the cake is done?
Bake it until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Test the cake, not a pocket of the swirl.
Can I freeze sweet potato honey bun cake?
Yes, for up to 3 months, best without the glaze. Thaw it in the refrigerator and glaze it once it’s at room temperature.
Final Notes
Mash the sweet potato the day before, and this cake comes together in 15 minutes. If you make it, tell me in the comments whether you glazed it warm or cooled.
Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
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Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix 1 box, dry
- 1 cup sweet potatoes mashed smooth; measure after mashing; baked or canned
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup brown sugar for the swirl
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon for the swirl
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg for the swirl
- 1/3 cup pecans chopped, stirred into the brown sugar mixture
- 1 cup powdered sugar for the glaze
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk for the glaze, added 1 tablespoon at a time
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish, reaching the bottom, sides and corners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the yellow cake mix, sour cream, eggs, canola oil and vanilla until combined. Add the mashed sweet potatoes and stir well.
- In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together until well mixed. Add the chopped pecans and stir well.
- Pour half of the batter into the greased dish. Spread the brown sugar mixture evenly over the batter.
- Spoon the remaining batter on top. Run a butter knife through the layers to swirl them together gently, without mixing them completely.
- Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Put the powdered sugar in a small bowl and add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well, until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle it over the warm cake.
