I Love This Recipe Because It Combines The Cozy Flavor Of A Traditional Honeybun Cake With The Fresh Taste Of Strawberries. The Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl Adds Warmth While The Strawberries Keep The Dessert Light And Fruity.
I Also Appreciate How Easy The Cake Is To Prepare. Using A Cake Mix Makes The Process Simple While Still Producing A Soft, Delicious Cake That Feels Homemade. The Strawberry Icing Adds A Beautiful Color And A Fresh Flavor That Makes Each Slice Feel Special.
Ingredients
(Here’s A Tip: Check Out The Full List Of Ingredients And Measurements In The Recipe Card Below.)
1 Package Vanilla Cake Mix
3 Large Eggs
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Cups Fresh Strawberries, Diced
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Strawberry Puree
Directions
I Start By Preheating My Oven To 350°F (175°C). Then I Grease A 9×13-Inch Baking Pan With Cooking Spray Or Butter To Prevent The Cake From Sticking.
In A Large Mixing Bowl, I Combine The Vanilla Cake Mix, Eggs, Sour Cream, Vegetable Oil, And Vanilla Extract. I Mix Everything Together For About 2 To 3 Minutes Until The Batter Becomes Smooth And Creamy.
In A Separate Bowl, I Stir Together The Brown Sugar And Ground Cinnamon To Create The Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture.
Next, I Pour Half Of The Cake Batter Into The Prepared Baking Pan And Spread It Evenly Across The Bottom. I Sprinkle Half Of The Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture Over The Batter, Then Add A Layer Of Diced Strawberries.
After That, I Spread The Remaining Batter Over The Top As Evenly As Possible. I Finish By Sprinkling The Rest Of The Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture Over The Cake.
I Bake The Cake For About 30 To 35 Minutes, Or Until A Toothpick Inserted Into The Center Comes Out Clean.
While The Cake Is Baking, I Prepare The Icing. In A Small Bowl, I Whisk Together The Powdered Sugar, Milk, And Strawberry Puree Until The Mixture Becomes Smooth And Pourable.
Once The Cake Is Finished Baking, I Let It Cool For About 10 To 15 Minutes. After It Has Cooled Completely, I Drizzle The Strawberry Cream Icing Over The Top Before Slicing And Serving.
Servings And Timing
This Recipe Makes About 12 Servings.
The Total Time For The Recipe Is Around 45 Minutes. The Preparation Takes About 10 Minutes And The Baking Time Is Approximately 30 To 35 Minutes, Followed By A Short Cooling Period Before Adding The Icing.
Variations
I Sometimes Add A Few White Chocolate Chips To The Batter For Extra Sweetness And A Creamy Texture.
Another Variation I Enjoy Is Mixing A Little Strawberry Jam Into The Batter Along With The Fresh Strawberries. This Gives The Cake Even More Strawberry Flavor.
If I Want A Slightly Different Twist, I Replace The Strawberries With Raspberries Or A Mix Of Berries. The Cinnamon And Brown Sugar Pair Well With Many Fruits.
For A Richer Topping, I Sometimes add a light layer of cream cheese frosting instead of the strawberry icing.
Storage/Reheating
I Store The Cake Covered At Room Temperature For Up To 2 Days. If I Want It To Last Longer, I Keep It In The Refrigerator For Up To 4 Days.
When Serving Leftover Slices From The Refrigerator, I Let Them Sit At Room Temperature For About 10 Minutes So The Cake Becomes Soft Again.
If I Want The Cake Slightly Warm, I Heat Individual Slices In The Microwave For About 10 To 15 Seconds.
FAQs
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries Instead Of Fresh?
I Can Use Frozen Strawberries If Fresh Ones Are Not Available. I Usually Thaw Them First And Drain Excess Liquid So The Cake Batter Does Not Become Too Wet.
Can I Make This Cake Ahead Of Time?
I Often Bake The Cake A Day In Advance And Add The Icing Before Serving. The Flavor Actually Becomes Even Better After Sitting For A Few Hours.
What Makes Honeybun Cake Different From Regular Cake?
Honeybun Cake Usually Includes Layers Of Cinnamon And Brown Sugar That Create A Sweet Swirl Inside The Cake, Similar To The Flavor Of A Honeybun Pastry.
Can I Add Nuts To This Recipe?
I Sometimes Add Chopped Pecans Or Walnuts To The Cinnamon-Sugar Layer For Extra Crunch And Flavor.
How Do I Know When The Cake Is Fully Baked?
I Insert A Toothpick Into The Center Of The Cake. If It Comes Out Clean Or With Just A Few Crumbs, I Know The Cake Is Ready.
Conclusion
I Think This Strawberry Honeybun Cake With Strawberry Cream Icing Is A Perfect Dessert When I Want Something Sweet, Soft, And Full Of Flavor. The Combination Of Cinnamon, Brown Sugar, Fresh Strawberries, And Creamy Icing Creates A Cake That Feels Comforting And Special At The Same Time. Whenever I Make It, The Bright Strawberry Flavor And Moist Texture Make It A Favorite For Sharing With Family And Friends.
This strawberry honeybun cake is filled with cinnamon sugar layers, juicy strawberries, and finished with creamy strawberry icing for a bakery style dessert everyone will love.
Author:Sarah
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:35 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Yield:12 servings
Category:Dessert
Method:Baking
Cuisine:American
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
Cake
1 package vanilla cake mix
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh strawberries, diced
Strawberry Cream Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup strawberry puree
Instructions
Preheat the Oven
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
Prepare the Batter
In a large bowl, mix the vanilla cake mix, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
Make the Cinnamon Sugar
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
Layer the Cake
Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter, then add the diced strawberries.
Add the Final Layer
Spread the remaining batter over the strawberry layer and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Bake
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Prepare the Icing
While the cake is baking, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and strawberry puree until smooth.
Cool and Ice the Cake
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then allow it to cool completely.
Drizzle the strawberry cream icing over the top before serving.
Notes
Fresh strawberries give the best flavor, but frozen strawberries (thawed and drained) can also be used.
For extra strawberry flavor, add a few tablespoons of strawberry puree directly into the batter.
Allow the cake to cool fully before adding icing so it doesn’t melt too quickly.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.