Introduction

Hey there, baking buddies! Grab your apron and let’s whip up something truly special. You know those days when you just crave a warm, comforting slice of cake? Something that feels like a hug? This Sweet Potato Honeybun Cake is exactly that. It takes the classic honeybun swirl we all love and marries it with the cozy, earthy goodness of sweet potato. It’s unbelievably moist, packed with warm spices, and has that irresistible ribbon of cinnamon sugar running through it. Trust me, this isn’t just cake; it’s a little piece of happiness, perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. And you won’t believe how simple it is to pull together!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Mixes up quicker than you might think for such an impressive cake.
Easy: No fancy techniques here, just simple mixing and layering.
Giftable: Makes a beautiful, delicious gift for neighbors or friends.
Crowd-pleasing: Who can resist that cinnamon swirl and moist crumb? It disappears fast!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to gather from your pantry and fridge. Don’t forget to get that sweet potato ready!

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes: You can use leftover mashed sweet potatoes (plain, no butter/salt added!), or easily bake or boil one medium sweet potato until tender, then mash it smooth. Make sure it’s nice and smooth!
1 cup granulated sugar: For sweetness and structure in the main batter.
1/2 cup packed brown sugar: Adds moisture and that lovely, caramel-like depth of flavor.
1/2 cup vegetable oil: Keeps the cake super moist.
2 large eggs: Binders for the cake.
1 cup buttermilk: The secret to tenderness and helps activate the leavening agents for a perfect rise. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute: stir 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles slightly.
2 tsp vanilla extract: Essential for almost any cake, enhancing all the other flavors.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour: Our cake’s foundation.
1 tbsp baking powder: Gives our cake a nice lift.
1/2 tsp baking soda: Works with the buttermilk for extra lightness.
1/2 tsp salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
1 tsp ground cinnamon: Essential warm spice for the cake batter itself.
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg: Adds a classic, cozy spice note.
1/2 tsp ground ginger: A little zing to complement the sweet potato and other spices.
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for cinnamon swirl): Creates that classic sweet layer.
1 tbsp ground cinnamon (for cinnamon swirl): The star of the swirl show!
1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze): Forms the sweet, drizzly topping.
2 tbsp milk (for glaze): Thins the glaze to the perfect pouring consistency. Start with 1 tbsp and add more as needed.
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze): Adds a little extra flavor pop to the glaze.

How to Make It

Ready to get baking? Follow these steps and you’ll have a gorgeous cake in no time!

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. This helps ensure your cake doesn’t stick!
In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes, 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk, and 2 tsp vanilla extract until everything is well combined and smooth.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or with a spatula just until combined. Be careful not to overmix! A few small lumps are okay.
In a small bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon for the swirl.
Pour about half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter in the pan.
Carefully dollop the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar layer. You don’t need to spread it perfectly; the batter will mostly level out as it bakes.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes before glazing.
While the cake cools slightly, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth. Add a tiny bit more milk if it’s too thick, or a little more powdered sugar if it’s too thin. You want a pourable consistency.
Pour or drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. As it cools on the warm cake, the glaze will set slightly.
Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.

Substitutions & Additions

Want to mix things up? Here are a few ideas:

Spices: Feel free to adjust the spice levels. A pinch of allspice or cardamom could be lovely.
Nuts: Stir 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter or sprinkle them over the cinnamon swirl layer for extra crunch.
Chocolate Chips: Because why not? About 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips folded into the batter would be delicious.
Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free buttermilk substitute (like almond or soy milk with vinegar) and a plant-based oil. Ensure your sweet potato mash is made without dairy.
Glaze: You could skip the glaze or do a simple streusel topping instead of the swirl and glaze.

Tips for Success

A few pointers to help you make this cake perfectly every time:

Mashed Sweet Potato Consistency: Make sure your sweet potato is mashed very smoothly. Any large lumps won’t incorporate well into the batter.
Don’t Overmix: Mix the dry and wet ingredients just until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
Layering the Swirl: When adding the second half of the batter, dolloping it helps distribute it without disturbing the cinnamon layer too much. It will spread out as it bakes.
Check for Doneness: Start checking the cake around 35 minutes. Ovens vary, and you don’t want to overbake it.
Glazing Temperature: Glazing while the cake is slightly warm helps the glaze melt and spread beautifully, giving it that classic honeybun look, but don’t do it while piping hot or it will just run off.

How to Store It

If you happen to have any leftovers (a big if!), here’s how to keep them fresh:

Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it, which will keep it fresh for about a week. You can also wrap individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave.

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Can I use canned sweet potato puree?

Absolutely! Just make sure it’s 100% sweet potato puree with no added sugar, spices, or salt.

What size pan should I use?

A 9×13 inch baking pan is perfect for this recipe. You could potentially use a bundt pan, but you’d need to adjust the baking time and figure out how to swirl the cinnamon layer inside.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! The cake keeps well at room temperature for several days, so you can bake it a day in advance. I recommend glazing it the day you plan to serve it for the freshest glaze.

My glaze is too thick/thin. How do I fix it?

If your glaze is too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, whisk in more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until it thickens up.

Sweet Potato Honeybun Cake with Cinnamon Swirl

This Sweet Potato Honeybun Cake takes the classic honeybun swirl and marries it with the cozy, earthy goodness of sweet potato. It's unbelievably moist, packed with warm spices, and has that irresistible ribbon of cinnamon sugar running through it. Perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert, and simple to pull together.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

Large bowl
Medium bowl
Small bowl
Spatula
9x13 inch baking pan
Wire rack

Ingredients

Cake Batter

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes plain, no butter/salt added, mashed smooth
1 cup granulated sugar for cake batter
0.5 cup packed brown sugar
0.5 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk or substitute (1 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice + 1 cup milk)
2 tsp vanilla extract for cake batter
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
0.5 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon for cake batter
0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
0.5 tsp ground ginger

Cinnamon Swirl

0.5 cup granulated sugar for cinnamon swirl
1 tbsp ground cinnamon for cinnamon swirl

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar for glaze
2 tbsp milk for glaze (start with 1 tbsp)
0.5 tsp vanilla extract for glaze

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes, 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk, and 2 tsp vanilla extract until everything is well combined and smooth.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or with a spatula just until combined. Be careful not to overmix! A few small lumps are okay.
In a small bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon for the swirl.
Pour about half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter in the pan.
Carefully dollop the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar layer.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes before glazing.
While the cake cools slightly, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth. Add a tiny bit more milk if it's too thick, or a little more powdered sugar if it's too thin. You want a pourable consistency.
Pour or drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. As it cools on the warm cake, the glaze will set slightly.
Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it (about a week) or freeze individual slices (up to 2-3 months). Ensure mashed sweet potato is very smooth and avoid overmixing the batter for best results.