Strawberry Honeybun Cake with Creamy Strawberry Icing Recipe: Soft, Swirled, and Fully Loaded

Introduction

The first time I made a honeybun cake, I was standing in my kitchen at 9 p.m. with a box of cake mix, a bag of brown sugar, and zero patience. The cinnamon ribbon baked into the middle smelled like a bakery case, and I was hooked. A few weeks later I wondered what would happen if I swapped the usual yellow cake for strawberry. This strawberry honeybun cake with creamy strawberry icing is the answer.

It bakes up tender and pink, with a buttery cinnamon swirl running through the center. While it’s still warm, you poke holes across the top and pour over a honey glaze that soaks in and turns the crumb almost pudding-soft. Once it cools, a thick layer of cream cheese icing, made with real cooked-down strawberries, goes on top. It tastes like a honeybun and a strawberry shortcake had a very good idea together.

Why You’ll Love This

• It starts with a boxed cake mix, so you get a bakery-style result without measuring flour and leavening.
• The honey glaze keeps every slice moist for days, which makes it a reliable make-ahead dessert.
• The cinnamon-brown sugar swirl adds a warm, caramel-like depth that plain strawberry cake never has.
• The icing gets its color and flavor from real strawberries, not food dye or artificial flavoring.
• One 9×13 pan feeds a crowd, so it works for potlucks, birthdays, and Sunday dinners.

The Backstory

My brother-in-law Daniel does not eat dessert. Fruit-flavored sweets are his biggest objection, and he once told me strawberry cake tastes “like a pink eraser.” So when I brought this one to a family cookout, I figured he’d politely skip it.

He took a small square, mostly to be nice. Then he went quiet, which in our family is the loudest compliment there is. A few minutes later he came back to the counter, cut a second piece twice the size of the first, and asked what was in the middle. I told him cinnamon and brown sugar. He said, “That’s the honeybun part, right?” He had been eating gas station honeybuns on road trips for twenty years. He has requested this cake every summer since.

What Makes It Special

• Strawberry cake mix: It gives you a soft, sweet base with a gentle berry flavor and a natural pink crumb.
• Sour cream: It adds richness and a slight tang, and it keeps the cake plush instead of dry.
• Brown sugar and cinnamon swirl: This is the honeybun signature. It melts into a gooey, molasses-sweet ribbon through the center.
• Honey glaze: It seeps into the poked holes and sets into a thin, glossy crust on top, adding floral sweetness.
• Fresh strawberries, cooked down: Reducing them concentrates the flavor so the icing tastes vividly of fruit without turning runny.
• Cream cheese and butter: Together they make a creamy, spreadable icing with enough tang to balance the sugar.

Making It Happen

Heat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan well, getting into the corners. Start with the strawberries for the icing so they have time to cool. Chop a cup of fresh berries, add them to a small saucepan over medium heat, and let them simmer for about eight minutes, mashing as they soften, until they thicken into a jammy puree of roughly a quarter cup. Set it aside to cool completely.

For the cake, whisk the strawberry cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, and water in a large bowl until the batter is smooth and thick. Don’t overmix; stop once you no longer see dry streaks. In a separate small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans if you’re using them.

Pour half the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Scatter the cinnamon mixture over it in an even layer, then spoon the remaining batter over the top, nudging it toward the edges with a spatula. Drag a butter knife through the pan in loose zigzags to marble the filling into the batter. Don’t overdo it, because you want visible ribbons, not a uniform blend.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The top should look golden at the edges and spring back lightly, and a toothpick in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter. While the cake bakes, stir together powdered sugar, milk, honey, and vanilla for the glaze until smooth and pourable.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over it with the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer, spacing them about an inch apart. Slowly pour the glaze across the surface so it runs into the holes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, at least an hour and a half. Warm cake will melt the icing.

For the icing, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, then the cooled strawberry puree, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat until silky and spreadable. Spread it over the cooled cake in thick swoops, and finish with sliced fresh strawberries if you like.

You Must Know

• Poke the holes while the cake is still hot. A cooled cake absorbs the glaze unevenly and leaves wet patches.
• Let the strawberry puree cool fully before adding it to the icing. Warm puree will thin the icing and make it slide off the cake.
• Soften the cream cheese and butter on the counter for about an hour. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that never beat out.
• Pull the cake out when a few moist crumbs cling to the toothpick. Baking until the pick is totally clean can make the center dry once the glaze soaks in.
• Use full-fat sour cream and block-style cream cheese. Low-fat versions add too much moisture and make the icing soft.

Serving Ideas & Pairings

Cut the cake into squares and serve it chilled or at room temperature. A cup of hot black coffee or a milky chai balances the sweetness well. For something cold, try iced tea with lemon or a glass of cold whole milk. If you’re serving it after a meal, it pairs nicely with something savory and simple, like a barbecue spread or a platter of grilled chicken with a crisp green salad. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side is never a bad idea.

Make It Different

• Yellow or white cake base: Swap in a yellow or white cake mix for a classic honeybun flavor, then keep the strawberry icing on top.
• Nut-free: Skip the pecans in the filling. The swirl is just as good without them.
• Lighter icing: Replace half the butter with extra cream cheese for a tangier, less sweet frosting.
• Dairy-free: Use dairy-free cream cheese, plant-based butter, and a plant-based sour cream alternative, and make the glaze with oat milk.
• Extra berry flavor: Stir a tablespoon of freeze-dried strawberry powder into the icing for a deeper color and a more concentrated taste.
• Maple twist: Swap the honey in the glaze for pure maple syrup and add a pinch of nutmeg to the filling.

Storage & Reheating

Cover the cake tightly and keep it in the refrigerator, since the cream cheese icing needs to stay cold. It holds well for up to five days. For the best texture, let a slice sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes before serving, which softens the icing and brings the cake back to a tender bite.

To reheat a single slice, microwave it uncovered for 10 to 12 seconds. That’s just enough to warm the crumb and loosen the cinnamon swirl without melting the icing. For freezing, wrap unfrosted squares individually in plastic and then foil, freeze for up to three months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and ice them fresh.

Success Tips

• Grease the pan thoroughly, including the corners. The brown sugar swirl can catch and stick.
• Swirl with a light hand. Over-stirring blends the filling into the batter and you lose the ribbon.
• If your strawberries are very juicy, cook the puree a minute or two longer so the icing stays thick.
• Pour the glaze slowly in several passes rather than all at once, so it soaks in instead of pooling.
• Chill the iced cake for 30 minutes before slicing. Cold icing cuts cleanly and gives you neat squares.
• Sift the powdered sugar if it looks clumpy. It makes the icing smoother with less beating.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I use frozen strawberries for the icing?
Yes. Thaw them, drain off some of the liquid, and cook them down the same way. Frozen berries can be a little wetter, so simmer them until the puree is thick and jammy.

Can I make this cake a day ahead?
Absolutely. In fact, it often tastes better the next day, once the glaze has fully settled into the crumb. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and let it sit out briefly before serving.

Why did my icing turn out runny?
Usually the puree was still warm or too thin, or the cream cheese was too soft. Cool the puree completely, cook it down until thick, and chill the icing for 15 minutes before spreading.

Can I bake this in a different pan?
You can use two 8-inch round pans or a bundt pan. Round pans bake in about 30 to 35 minutes, and a bundt may need 50 to 55. Check for doneness with a toothpick.

Do I have to use the glaze?
You can skip it, but the glaze is what gives this cake its honeybun character and its moist texture. I’d keep it.

Recipe Card Info

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes (includes cooling)

Servings: 15

Category: Dessert

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: One 9×13-inch cake

Equipment: 9×13-inch baking pan, large mixing bowl, small saucepan, electric hand mixer or stand mixer, wooden spoon or skewer, butter knife, spatula

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 box (about 15.25 oz) strawberry cake mix
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup water

For the cinnamon swirl:

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

For the honey glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the creamy strawberry icing:

• 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries (cooked down to about 1/4 cup puree)
• 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Sliced fresh strawberries, for topping (optional)

Directions

Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan thoroughly.

Step 2: Add the chopped strawberries to a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 8 minutes, mashing as they soften, until thick and jammy and reduced to about 1/4 cup. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.

Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, and water until smooth. Do not overmix.

Step 4: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans, if using.

Step 5: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the batter, then top with the remaining batter.

Step 6: Run a butter knife through the batter in loose zigzags to create swirls.

Step 7: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden at the edges and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Step 8: While the cake bakes, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, honey, and vanilla for the glaze until smooth and pourable.

Step 9: Remove the cake from the oven. While still hot, poke holes about an inch apart across the surface with a wooden spoon handle or skewer. Slowly pour the glaze over the cake so it runs into the holes.

Step 10: Cool the cake completely in the pan, about 1.5 hours.

Step 11: Beat the cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the cooled strawberry puree, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth.

Step 12: Spread the icing over the cooled cake. Top with sliced strawberries if desired. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing for clean squares.

Notes

• Keep the cake refrigerated because of the cream cheese icing. It stays fresh for up to 5 days.
• Unfrosted cake squares can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• For a thicker icing, cook the strawberry puree a little longer and cool it fully before using.
• Pecans can be omitted for a nut-free version.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 of 15 squares, approximate): Calories 470, Total Fat 23 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Carbohydrates 62 g, Sugar 48 g, Protein 4 g, Sodium 340 mg, Fiber 1 g. Values are estimates and vary by brand and ingredients used.