This Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake is what happens when my fave fall veggie (sweet potatoes, if you haven’t guessed it!) meets that iconic cinnamon-swirled corner-store honey bun we all love. My sweet potato honey bun cake is a tender, moist cake with a swirl of brown sugar, cinnamon, and warm spices that’ll make your kitchen smell like heaven. And the maple icing on top? That thang is the bomb dot com, y’all! Grab a slice while it’s warm, and thank me later.
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Y’all, I’ve made sweet potato everything (as any good Southern gal would). Sweet potato pie, sweet potato casserole, sweet potato pound cake and even sweet potato grits, y’all! So, of course, a sweet potato honey bun cake recipe just had to happen. If you love a honey bun cake as much as I do, this one’s gonna be your new go-to. And let me tell ya, it’s ridiculously easy. Just mix it, swirl the spices, and let the oven do its thang. Plus, it’s got sweet potatoes, so technically it’s healthy… Right? (We’ll just roll with that!).
The Lowdown on This Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort
Primary Cooking Method: Good ol’ baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, can be made gluten-free
Key Flavor: Sweet potato meets cinnamon spice, with a buttery, maple-kissed finish
Skill Level: Easy peasy, y’all!
Easy as Pie (But it’s Cake!)
No need to overcomplicate things here, boos. This sweet potato honey bun cake recipe starts with a simple boxed yellow cake mix, so it’s really easy to throw together. That’s half the battle right there!
Full of Flavor
This cake is loaded with flavor from the sweet potatoes, spices, and that maple icing. Once you take a bite, you won’t wanna put your fork down.
Sweet Potato Goodness
Who knew a veggie could make dessert this good? Sweet potatoes give the cake a super moist, tender texture. Plus, they add a lil’ natural sweetness and color.
Ingredients you’ll need to make Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
For the Cake
- Sweet Potatoes: You can use canned for ease, or bake some fresh ones if you’ve got extra hanging around.
- Yellow Cake Mix: Go ahead and grab your favorite box! Any brand will work just fine.
- Cream Cheese: Adds creaminess and richness to the cake. Make sure it’s softened up.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake nice and moist.
- Eggs: These babies help everything bind together.
- Vanilla Extract: Just a splash!
For the Spice Swirl
- Brown Sugar: For that sweet and molasses-like flavor in the swirl.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg: These spices are bringin’ all the cozy, fall, warm vibes to this sweet potato sheet cake!
For the Icing
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Makes the icing smooth and sweet.
- Milk: Thins out the icing just right. You can use any milk you’ve got.
- Maple Syrup: You can use pure maple syrup or even pancake syrup. No judgement here boos!
How to make Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
What to serve with this easy honey bun cake
- Thanksgiving Breakfast Spread: This sweet potato honey bun cake makes the perfect addition to a holiday breakfast or brunch! Pair it with a breakfast casserole, a chorizo breakfast skillet.
- Southern Dinner Dessert: After a hearty Southern dinner, this cake is the perfect sweet ending. Serve it up after a big plate of baked chicken, lemon pepper wings, or a bowl of Southern chili.
- Get Your Drink On: You can’t forget about drinks! Whip up a batch of Thanksgiving punch, Christmas punch, or why not, a big pot of hot buttered rum!
- Garnishes: Don’t skip the toppings boo! A generous swirl of whipped cream or a drizzle of caramel or strawberry sauce.
Recipe Substitutions
- Vegetable Oil: Swap the veggie oil for melted butter if you want a richer flavor. It’ll add a lil’ extra buttery goodness to the cake.
- Cream Cheese: You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead to keep the moist, creamy texture.
- Spices: Swap in pumpkin pie spice, or just double up on cinnamon.
- Maple Syrup: Honey works just as well for the icing on this easy honey bun cake.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Add Nuts: Toss chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter for some crunch. They mix perfectly with the sweet potato and spice vibes!
- Top It Off: Sprinkle toasted pecans on top of the icing, or a dusting of cinnamon sugar for extra flavor and texture.
- Go Extra with Spices: If you’re all about that spice (guilty!), add a pinch of ground cloves or allspice to the sugar swirl for even more warmth.
- Chocolate Twist: Mix in a few chocolate chips to the batter. Sweet potato and chocolate? Don’t knock it ’til you try it, boo!
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best sweet potato honey bun cake recipe
- Use Softened Cream Cheese: If it’s too cold, it won’t blend well into the batter.
- Smooth Sweet Potatoes: Make sure your sweet potatoes are well mashed before adding them to the batter. Lumps can mess with the texture of your cake, so take a minute to mash them up real good!
- Don’t Over-Swirl: When you’re swirling that sugar and spice mixture into the batter, resist the urge to overdo it! You want a gentle swirl so you still get those distinct layers of flavor.
- Let the Cake Cool Before Icing: Be patient, boo! If the cake’s too warm, the icing will melt and slide right off instead of setting up.
How to store Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
Keep any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge. If you’re storing it on the counter, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a lid so it stays fresh and doesn’t dry out.
How long will Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake last?
At room temp, this cake will stay soft and tasty for up to 3 days. If you pop it in the fridge, it’ll last a bit longer. Around 5-6 days… If it doesn’t dissapear way before then!
Can I freeze sweet potato cake with cake mix?
Yup, you can freeze this sweet potato honey bun cake! Wrap the whole cake (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap, then pop it into a freezer-safe bag. It’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight, and you’re golden!
Frequently asked questions
You’ll know the cake is done when the top is golden brown and it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. You can also stick a toothpick in the center, and if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not batter!), it’s good to go!
Absolutely boo! While yellow cake mix gives it that classic honey bun cake flavor, you can switch it up with a butter cake mix or a spice cake mix, just to name a few.
You probably added too much liquid. Just whisk in a little extra confectioners’ sugar until it thickens up.
This Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake is about to be your new fave, whether for breakfast, dessert, or a sneaky slice in between! So grab your fork and get to swirlin’, because cake this good doesn’t last long (literally)!
More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Sweet Potato Pound Cake Recipe
- Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
- Sweet Potato Chocolate Marble Cake
- Sweet Potato Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe (Video!)
- Big Mama’s Sweet Potato Pie
- Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie
- Sweet Potato Cobbler
- Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
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Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cup sweet potato mashed really well (can be canned for ease or baked)
- 1 15.25- ounce box yellow cake mix
- 4 ounces cream cheese very softened
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Spice Swirl:
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Icing:
- 1 ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and place oven rack in middle position. Prepare 9×13 pan by spraying bottom and sides with nonstick baking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix cake mix, sweet potato, cream cheese, oil, eggs, vanilla on medium low speed for 1 minute, until well combined.
- In a small bowl, stir brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until evenly mixed. Set aside.
- Pour half of the cake batter into prepared pan. Spread sugar and spice mixture onto first layer, then pour the remaining half of the cake batter on top of the sugar mixture and spread evenly. Using a butter knife, swirl the cake batter and sugar mixture together to create a gentle swirl pattern (don’t completely mix together).
- Bake until golden brown and the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 27-29 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes.
- While cooling, make the icing by whisking together confectioners’ sugar, milk, and maple syrup until thick and smooth.
- Once cool, pour and spread icing over the cake and let sit until the icing has set, about 10 minutes. Cut into 24 slices, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use Softened Cream Cheese: If it’s too cold, it won’t blend well into the batter.
- Smooth Sweet Potatoes: Make sure your sweet potatoes are well mashed before adding them to the batter. Lumps can mess with the texture of your cake, so take a minute to mash them up real good!
- Don’t Over-Swirl: When you’re swirling that sugar and spice mixture into the batter, resist the urge to overdo it! You want a gentle swirl so you still get those distinct layers of flavor.
- Let the Cake Cool Before Icing: Be patient, boo! If the cake’s too warm, the icing will melt and slide right off instead of setting up.
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SO I sent a question through this link and one through contact. Still no answer and I want to make this yesterday. Can this be made as a bundt cake?
Hi Sue, sorry for the delay. We get a ton of messages on social and through our comments portal so it can take at least a day for us to respond. I hope you understand. Yes you can definitely do that!
Can you make this as a bundt cake?