Description
Homemade strawberry honeybun cake with strawberry cream icing brings Southern comfort to classic dessert tables. Rich strawberry flavors and delicate crumb make this cake a sweet celebration of simple ingredients you’ll savor completely.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) strawberry cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (170 g) strawberry jam or preserves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tbsps strawberry puree (or 2 tbsps strawberry jam)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Batter Creation: Combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, strawberry jam, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Blend until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Cinnamon Sugar Layer: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Layering: Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly across the surface. Add remaining batter on top, then create a marbled effect by gently swirling with a knife.
- Baking: Cook in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should come out clean.
- Icing Preparation: While cake cools completely, whip cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Frosting Finalization: Fold in powdered sugar, strawberry puree, and vanilla extract. Beat until light and spreadable.
- Finishing Touch: Generously spread strawberry cream icing over the entire cooled cake, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Serving: Cut into portions and enjoy. Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir cake batter just until ingredients combine to maintain a tender, soft texture without developing tough gluten strands.
- Temperature Precision: Allow eggs and dairy ingredients to reach room temperature before mixing, ensuring smoother batter and more even baking.
- Marbling Technique: Use a gentle swirling motion with a knife or skewer to create beautiful marbled effect without completely blending layers.
- Moisture Preservation: Cool cake completely before applying icing to prevent melting and maintain pristine cream cheese frosting appearance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg