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This Honey Bun Cake is so simple to make, and we love the tradition of baking a Happy Birthday Jesus Cake on Christmas morning. SO good too!
Honey Bun Cake Recipe (or Happy Birthday Jesus Cake)
Of all the recipes included in the 12 Days of Christmas Baking Cookbook, I think this Honey Bun Cake is my favorite!
My friend Tiffany made this cake for our family soon after we had our third baby, and I remember eating nothing but Honey Bun Cake for two days straight! This is undoubtedly the yummiest, moistest, make-me-the-happiest breakfast cake ever, and now we make it for our Happy Birthday Jesus Cake on Christmas morning. (That was Tiffany’s idea too!).
️ MENU TIP: This is one of the desserts featured in our Freezer Menu Planning Made Easy Set!
Happy Birthday Jesus Cake Ingredients:
- yellow cake mix
- sour cream
- eggs
- sugar
- oil
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- powdered sugar
- milk
- vanilla
I bake it early Christmas Eve so it’s done and marked off my to-do list, and you can imagine how yummy my kitchen smells the rest of the day (heavenly!) Let me know if you try it out. . . I love hearing which recipes you guys like, and I’m almost positive this one will become a favorite in your home too!
How to make Honey Bun Cake:
Gather up your ingredients and mix the cake mix, sour cream, eggs, sugar and oil until well combined. Grab a separate mixing bowl and mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Pour 1/2 of the cake mixture into a prepared 9×13 pan. Then add the brown sugar cinnamon mixture over the cake mix.
Pour remaining cake batter on top of the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture. Then, bake at 275 for 50 – 60 minutes. While the cake is baking, mix the icing ingredients together and then pour over the cake once it has cooled slightly.
*My friend always doubles the icing recipe – but I tend to use 3 cups powdered sugar, 5 – 6 Tbsp milk, and 3 tsp vanilla. Just depends how much icing you like!*
Honey Bun Cake {Our Happy Birthday Jesus Cake}
Ingredients
For Cake Batter:
- 1 yellow cake mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup oil
For Filling
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tsp cinnamon
For Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 - 4 Tbsp milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Mix the cake mix, sour cream, eggs, sugar & oil.
- In separate bowl stir together the brown sugar & cinnamon.
- Pour 1/2 of the cake mixture into 9×13 pan. Then add the brown sugar cinnamon mixture.
- Pour remaining cake batter on top.
- Bake at 275 for 50 - 60 minutes.
- While cake is baking, mix the icing ingredients all up together and pour over cake after it's cooled slightly.
- Enjoy!
Looking for more delicious ideas for desserts? Here are a few ideas!
- Slow Cooker Christmas Candy
- Perfect Peanut Butter Fudge
- Christmas Crack
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER
Download your free 12 Days of Christmas Baking Grocery List and Cookbook over HERE. I’m amazed at how much easier it is to get ready for Christmas with a plan in place, and having this list has just made Christmas easier at our house this year!
This Honey Bun Cake recipe is in week 11 of our Freezer Menu Plan Made Easy Set. It comes with 72 delicious recipes and weekly grocery lists. These menu plan sets also make GREAT gifts!
Can you substitute butter for the oil?
Yes, you can do a direct 1-1 substitution. I hope that helps! 🙂
I made this tonight! And my mom and son loved it so I am definitely going to have to make one for my daughter
We are so glad it was a hit with your crew! We can’t wait to hear what your daughter thinks. 🙂
Made this for our Christmas Eve dinner dessert and it was a huge hit! My husband has a new favorite. Thank you!
Yay, we’re so glad it was a hit! 🙂
Hi Laurie! First let me say, Happy 2023! Thank you for your positivity, realness, and hard work you do! I just made this! Initially ingredients were bought for Christmas; however, it didn’t get made. Made it today for our “Anniversary cake.” Delicious and hubby loves!! It is a sweet cake but tastes like honey buns for sure!!
Hi Tracie! So glad y’all loved it! Happy Anniversary and Happy New Year! 🙂
This is sooo good! Cooks perfectly at the low temp. Comes out moist and delicious. However, it’s almost a little bit too sugary for me. I’m thinking of leaving out the 1/2 cup of sugar next time. Has anyone done that?! Thanks for the recipe!!!
You’re so welcome! SO glad you like them!
Has anyone tried this with a GF cake mix? Thanx. It looks so yummy!
Delicious!! Since this is listed in the freezer plan, How do you freeze this? I cannot imagine having this any other way than fresh out of the oven! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Robin ~ You don’t have to freeze it but you can bake it and then freeze it. I definitely understand having it fresh out of the oven!
Your cake is my husband’s current obsession. I’ve made it four times in less than two months. Thanks for such a great recipe! The first two times I made the cake, it came out perfectly. The last two times, the brown sugar/ cinnamon layer has sunk to the bottom of the cake. I have thought hard about it and can’t figure out anything different I’ve done the last couple of times, or even different brands of ingredients that I might have used. Do you have any idea of what I’m doing that would cause that layer to sink?
So glad to hear he likes it Christa! Hmm, so sorry that has happened the last few times you’ve made it ~ is it possible maybe not as much cake batter ended up on the bottom layer and so it sank through? Or perhaps the sour cream and eggs were colder/warmer certain times you’ve made it? I’m not 100% what may have caused that, but I hope if you make it again that it won’t give you any trouble! 🙂
I just had to say that this recipe is very sweet!!! I don’t really like the frosting neither! I was very excited to make this but disappointed how sweet it was!!! I will never make it again! Love the name of it!
Has anyone tried making this the day before and cooking it Christmas morning? Our Christmas morning is crazy and I would love to assemble it ahead of time and cook tomorrow morning!
Anyone tried this using a bunt cake pan?
It’s soooo moist Kelly – I don’t think I’d try it that way as I’m afraid it wouldn’t set up correctly? Just my hunch! Hope that helps! 🙂
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe, Laurie! It has been a HIT for several years and it’s requested every year (I’m making it now ). If anyone hasn’t tried it, it’s a definite keeper!
So excited to serve this tomorrow morning for breakfast! I’ve had it in the oven for an hour and 10 minutes, and it still isn’t done. Just FYI to anyone who cooks it for the recommended 50-55 minutes… It might not be done! However, I’m keeping the heat at 275° and being patient!
Hope you enjoy Sara! Thanks for your feedback on the cooking time 🙂
Yes I had the same problem the top was done and not the bottom. After 60 mins I cranked it up to 350 fir 10 mins and the knife came out clean. I was worried the temperature was a typo.
Can plain yogurt be substituted for the sour cream?
Hmm, I think you could substitute with yogurt Candace! Would love to hear how it turns out if you try it! 🙂
Do you grease the pan?
Yes!
This is beyond amazing! I did skip the extra sugar in the cake as a cake mix has so much, and it is still extremely sweet! It is moist and melts in our mouth and needs nothing to wash it down. I divided it into two 8×8 pans so I could share it with our neighbors.
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Can this be made in a bundt pan? AND a yellow cake mix? The amounts in a cake mix changed about 2 years ago, so is this still correct or should it be # of cups of yellow cake mix or oz.’s?
Can I use a white cake mix?
I’ve always used yellow cake mix but I think a white one would work too!
Is there a substitution for the eggs?
Eggbeaters would work!
Hello I did not see the recipe for the icing
The icing ingredients should be listed under the filling ingredients, and the directions for making the icing should be near the bottom of the recipe Jennifer! 🙂 (Just mix together 3 cups powdered sugar, 5-6 tbsp. milk, and 3 tsp. vanilla for your icing!). Hope that helps!
Do you need to grease the pan?
Hi, silly question probably, but does this need to be stored in the fridge?
Thanks!
Not a silly question Alyson, but it doesn’t need to be refrigerated – hope that helps! 🙂
I made this Christmas morning and it was a HUGE hit. My family said it tasted just like a honey bun. It will become a tradition! Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year.
Pam
So glad you all enjoyed it – thanks so much for letting me know!
I tried this last Christmas and it is WONDERFUL!!! One of my families favorites and also one of my church families favorites!!
worth the long wait for it to bake!!
Just wanted to make sure the oven should be at 275. This sounds so delish and I have everything on hand, can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
It is 275 – I know, it’s strange to cook so low but works perfectly! Hope you all enjoy it 🙂