Pumpkin Honey Bun Cake

The knife catches the cinnamon-sugar ribbon before it reaches the bottom of the pan, and every slice gets a little of that sweet center. I make this Pumpkin Honey Bun Cake when I want pumpkin spice in a tender cake, not just on top of it. The batter is easy to stir together by hand, and the 9×13-inch pan gives you plenty of pieces without fussing over layers or frosting.

Pumpkin puree and sour cream keep the crumb moist, while cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg season the cake itself. The brown sugar and cinnamon go between two layers of batter, so the swirl tastes distinct rather than disappearing into the pumpkin. A simple honey glaze goes over the cake while it’s still warm, settling into the surface and around the cinnamon streaks.

Why the Cinnamon Sugar Gets Its Own Middle Layer

There’s cinnamon in the cake batter and cinnamon in the brown sugar swirl, but they do different jobs. The spices in the batter season each bite evenly; the brown sugar layer gives you a concentrated, slightly chewy ribbon. If you stirred all of that brown sugar into the batter, you’d lose the contrast that makes a honey bun cake feel like more than a spiced pumpkin snack cake.

The two layers of batter also matter. The lower one gives the cinnamon sugar a soft base, and the upper one keeps most of the sweet mixture tucked inside as the cake bakes. A few broad strokes with a knife let the layers curve into each other without blending into one uniform brown batter. That’s why I don’t chase a perfectly even swirl: visible ribbons make the texture and flavor more interesting from one slice to the next.

What Makes the Pumpkin Batter Stay Tender

• Canned pumpkin puree — It brings pumpkin flavor and moisture in a consistent, thick form. Choose plain puree rather than a sweetened pumpkin product; the latter changes both the sweetness and spice balance.
• Sour cream — Its tang rounds out the sweet cake, and its richness helps keep the crumb soft. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works as a direct substitute, though the cake may taste a little tangier.
• Vegetable oil — Oil keeps the crumb moist after the cake cools, unlike butter, which firms up when chilled. A neutral-tasting vegetable oil is the right choice here so it doesn’t compete with the spices.
• Room-temperature eggs — They whisk more easily into the sugar and blend smoothly with the pumpkin and sour cream. Taking the chill off helps the wet mixture come together evenly.
• Light brown sugar and cinnamon — The molasses notes in brown sugar give the center a deeper taste than granulated sugar would. Pack the brown sugar when measuring it, and break up any hard lumps before stirring in the cinnamon.
• Honey and powdered sugar — Powdered sugar makes a smooth drizzle, while honey gives it a mellow sweetness that fits the cinnamon swirl. Use a honey whose flavor you enjoy; a strongly flavored variety will be easier to notice in the finished glaze.

Building the Swirl Without Overmixing the Cake

Whisk the dry ingredients first

Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisking the leaveners and spices through the flour now helps distribute them before the wet ingredients go in. Set the bowl aside while you make the pumpkin mixture.

Bring the pumpkin mixture together

In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and room-temperature eggs until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract until the mixture looks uniform. If streaks of sour cream remain, keep whisking briefly rather than trying to beat them out after the flour is added. This keeps the mixing gentle once the batter is assembled.

Layer the cinnamon-sugar center

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon, then spread half of the cake batter in the greased dish. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar evenly over the surface. Spoon the remaining batter over it and gently spread to cover; a few broad passes with a knife are enough to create swirls.

Bake until the center is set

Bake for 35 to 42 minutes. The top should look set rather than wet in the center, and the edges should be firm. Begin checking at the shorter end of the range, since the exact time can vary from oven to oven. Avoid pressing or jiggling the pan repeatedly; give the cake time to finish baking before checking its center.

Glaze the warm cake

Let the cake rest for 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. Whisk the powdered sugar, honey, milk, and vanilla extract until the glaze is smooth. Drizzle it over the warm cake so it settles across the surface and into the cinnamon-swirled top. If the glaze has a few powdered-sugar lumps, whisk them out before drizzling rather than trying to smooth them on the cake.

Three Easy Ways to Change the Cinnamon Swirl

Questions That Come Up When Baking Pumpkin Honey Bun Cake

Pumpkin Honey Bun Cake

Pumpkin honey bun cake bakes up soft and moist, with a cinnamon-brown sugar swirl running through the center. A simple honey glaze goes over the warm cake for a sweet finish.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 42 minutes mins

Resting 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 400

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the cake

• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs large, at room temperature
• 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil
• 0.5 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the cinnamon swirl

• 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the glaze

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp milk
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

• 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method

 

Make the cake

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until combined.
5. Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, sour cream, and vanilla.
6. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.

Add the swirl and bake

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
2. Spread half the cake batter in the prepared dish.
3. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar evenly over the batter.
4. Spoon the remaining batter over the cinnamon-sugar.
5. Gently spread the batter to cover.
6. Draw a knife through the batter in a few broad swirls.
7. Bake for 35 to 42 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Make the glaze

1. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes.
2. Whisk the powdered sugar, honey, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake.

Notes

For defined swirls, draw the knife through the batter in a few broad strokes rather than mixing it. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use dairy-free sour cream and milk.