Red Velvet Honeybun Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Ladies, let me tell you about this Red Velvet Honeybun Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing that’s about to become your new signature dessert! This gorgeous creation is what happens when classic Southern honeybun cake meets the elegance of red velvet, then gets crowned with the most heavenly cinnamon-spiced cream cheese icing you’ve ever tasted. It’s like two beloved desserts had a beautiful baby, and trust me, this one’s going to steal the show at your next gathering. The swirls of cinnamon sugar running through that vibrant red cake create the most magical flavor combination—each bite is pure bliss!

Red Velvet Honeybun Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing – A rich red velvet bundt cake topped with a thick, creamy cinnamon cream cheese glaze and a sprinkle of brown sugar on a wooden serving board. — This Red Velvet Honeybun Cake is everything—moist, rich, and topped with cinnamon cream cheese icing that melts in your mouth!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Show-stopping looks with crowd-pleasing flavor – that vibrant red cake with cinnamon swirls and creamy icing will have everyone reaching for seconds (and asking for your recipe!)
Perfect balance of textures – tender cake with the slight crunch of cinnamon sugar swirls, all topped with silky cream cheese icing
Make-ahead friendly – actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together
A unique twist on two classics – combines beloved honeybun cake with elegant red velvet for a dessert that’s both familiar and exciting

Ingredients

For the Cake:

Red velvet cake mix – our shortcut to gorgeous color and perfect texture. Use a good quality one for best results!
Vegetable oil – keeps our cake wonderfully moist and tender.
Sour cream – the secret to an ultra-rich, never-dry cake that stays fresh for days.
Eggs – provides structure and helps create that perfect crumb.
Vanilla extract – enhances all the flavors and adds that warm background note.
Brown sugar – for that deep, caramel-like sweetness in our cinnamon swirl.
Ground cinnamon – the star of our honeybun swirl! Use the freshest you can find.
Chopped pecans – optional but adds wonderful texture and nutty flavor to the swirl.

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing:

Cream cheese – use full-fat and make sure it’s properly softened for the smoothest icing.
Butter – adds richness and helps create that velvety texture.
Powdered sugar – for sweetness and that perfect smooth consistency.
Ground cinnamon – gives our icing that warm, spiced flavor that complements the cake perfectly.
Vanilla extract – rounds out all the flavors with its sweet warmth.
Heavy cream – creates the most luxurious, spreadable consistency.

The full ingredient list with measurements will be available in the recipe card below.

How to Make Red Velvet Honeybun Cake

Prepare the Cake:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan really well – we don’t want any sticking!
In a large bowl, combine your cake mix, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, beating until smooth and well combined – about 2 minutes of mixing magic.
In a separate bowl, mix together your brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl – this simple step creates so much flavor!
Pour half of your red velvet batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.
Sprinkle your cinnamon-sugar mixture (and pecans if using) all over the batter – don’t be shy here!
Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the cinnamon layer and gently spread it to cover – this creates those beautiful swirls when baked.
Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting – patience pays off here, I promise!

Make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing:

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth and fluffy – take your time here for the creamiest result.
Gradually add in the powdered sugar, beating well after each addition.
Mix in the cinnamon and vanilla extract until everything is beautifully incorporated.
Add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency – I like mine just spreadable but not runny.
Spread this heavenly icing over your cooled cake, creating pretty swirls with the back of your spoon.
If you’re feeling fancy, dust with a little extra cinnamon on top for that picture-perfect finish!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

Room temperature ingredients are key – set out your eggs, sour cream, butter, and cream cheese about an hour before starting.
Don’t overmix after adding dry ingredients – this can lead to a tougher cake instead of that tender crumb we’re after.
Use a knife to create swirls before baking – after adding your top layer of batter, run a knife through the cake in a figure-8 pattern for more defined cinnamon swirls.
Let the cake cool COMPLETELY before icing – even slight warmth will cause your beautiful cream cheese icing to melt.
Chill your frosted cake for 30 minutes before serving – this helps set the icing and makes cutting clean slices so much easier.

How to Serve

This showstopper dessert deserves a special presentation! Serve slices on pretty dessert plates with a dusting of cinnamon or a few fresh berries for a pop of color. It pairs beautifully with a cup of strong coffee or tea for afternoon gatherings.

For an extra-indulgent treat, warm individual slices for just 10 seconds in the microwave and top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream – the slight warmth of the cake against the cold ice cream creates pure magic, and the way the ice cream melts into those cinnamon swirls is absolutely divine!

This cake is perfect for holiday gatherings, baby showers, or anytime you want to make ordinary moments feel special. It’s impressive enough for company but comforting enough for a family Sunday dinner dessert.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead:

This cake actually improves with a little time! You can bake it up to 2 days ahead and store (unfrosted) in an airtight container at room temperature. The cream cheese icing can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Let the icing come to room temperature and give it a quick whip before spreading on your cake.

Storage:

Because of the cream cheese icing, the frosted cake should be refrigerated. Cover loosely with foil or place in a cake keeper and refrigerate for up to 5 days. I find the flavor is actually best on day 2 when everything has had time to meld together beautifully!

Freezing:

You can freeze individual slices or the whole unfrosted cake for up to 3 months. Wrap well in plastic wrap and then foil before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving or frosting. The cream cheese icing doesn’t freeze as well, so I recommend making that fresh.

FAQs

Can I make this cake completely from scratch instead of using a cake mix?

Absolutely, honey! While the cake mix version is wonderfully convenient (and honestly, hard to beat for that classic red velvet color and texture), you can certainly make this from scratch. Start with your favorite red velvet cake recipe that yields enough batter for a 9×13 pan. You’ll need to add red food coloring, cocoa powder, buttermilk, and the usual cake ingredients. Just follow the same layering technique with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and you’ll have a completely homemade version! The scratch version might have a slightly different texture, but that deep flavor will be worth the extra effort if you’re looking to impress.

I don’t like nuts. Can I omit the pecans or substitute something else?

You can absolutely leave out the pecans without affecting the cake at all – it’ll still be delicious! If you’d like to add something else for texture, white chocolate chips make a wonderful alternative and pair beautifully with the red velvet and cinnamon flavors. Another option is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of red velvet cake crumbs or even crushed honeybun cereal on top of the icing for that bit of crunch without nuts. Remember, recipes like this are meant to be personalized to your own taste preferences!

How do I know when my cake is perfectly done?

This is such a great question because red velvet can be tricky! The deep red color makes it harder to spot those visual cues we usually rely on. The most reliable test is to insert a toothpick into the center of the cake – it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Another good indicator is that the cake will begin to pull away slightly from the edges of the pan. Since this is a moist cake by design, don’t wait until it looks completely dry or you might overbake it. Start checking at the minimum baking time (28 minutes) and remember that it will continue cooking slightly as it cools in the hot pan.

Can I make this cake ahead for a special occasion?

This cake is actually PERFECT for making ahead! The flavors develop and meld together beautifully as it sits. You have a couple of options: make the entire cake including frosting up to 2 days ahead and keep refrigerated (just bring it to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving), or make just the cake layer up to 3 days ahead, wrap well, and store at room temperature, then frost on the day of your event. If you’re really planning ahead, you can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then frost the day of serving. It’s such a stress-free dessert for entertaining!