Sweet Potato Honeybun Cake with Pecans

You know how some flavor combos just get you? They hit a nerve, drag you back to some half-forgotten memory of your grandma’s kitchen or a holiday party from years ago. For me, that’s cinnamon and sweet potato. One is all gooey, sticky cinnamon rolls, the other is pure comfort food.

So there I was, staring down a couple of leftover sweet potatoes, when this totally off-the-wall idea sparked. What if you could merge the two? What if you tangled up the cinnamon-sugar-pecan swirl of a honeybun inside a ridiculously moist sweet potato cake?

Yeah. That’s what we’re doing today. This cake is an absolute dream—so soft, humming with spice, and with a crunchy, sweet ribbon running right through the middle. It’s the kind of thing that makes you close your eyes on the first bite. Let’s get this comfort train rolling.

What You’ll Need

For the Sweet Potato Cake:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups cooked and mashed sweet potato
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs, at room temp
• ½ cup buttermilk, at room temp
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Pecan Swirl Filling:

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans

For the Honey Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3-4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy here, which is part of the beauty of it. Just the basics.

• 9×13-inch baking pan
• A couple of mixing bowls (large, medium, small)
• An electric mixer helps, but a whisk and some elbow grease work too
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Toothpick, for that all-important doneness test

How to Make Sweet Potato Honeybun Cake

Just follow along. It’s easier than it looks, I promise.

Step 1: Get your oven fired up to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your 9×13-inch pan like you mean it. Seriously, don’t skimp here or you’ll regret it later.

Step 2: In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and all those glorious spices. Get ’em all mixed up.

Step 3: In another bowl, mix the mashed sweet potato, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until it’s all one happy, smooth family.

Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix on low speed or by hand, but ONLY until it’s just combined. Stop when you still see a few lumps. Overmixing is the enemy of moist cake.

Step 5: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans for the swirl. This is the magic ribbon of goodness.

Step 6: Pour about half the batter into your pan and spread it out. Sprinkle the entire pecan swirl mixture over the top. The whole thing. Be generous.

Step 7: Spoon the rest of the batter over the swirl. Gently spread it to cover the filling. It doesn’t have to be perfect; the oven will sort it out.

Step 8: Bake it for 40-50 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Step 9: Let the cake cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Gotta let it settle before you even think about the glaze.

Step 10: While it’s cooling, whisk up the glaze. Mix the sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, honey, and vanilla until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk.

Step 11: Drizzle that beautiful glaze all over the warm cake. The heat helps it seep into every nook and cranny. Now, the hard part: wait for it to cool before slicing.

Pro Tips for a Perfect Cake

A few things I’ve learned that take this from good to “whoa.”

1. Use Real Sweet Potato. I’m talking 100% pure, cooked sweet potato. Not that canned pie filling junk. That stuff is pre-spiced and sweetened and will wreck the whole recipe.
2. Room Temp is Law. That part about room temperature eggs and buttermilk? It’s not a suggestion. Cold ingredients just don’t mix right and you’ll get a dense, heavy cake. Zap the buttermilk in the microwave for 15 seconds if you have to.
3. Sift That Sugar. For the glaze, you absolutely have to sift the powdered sugar. It’s the only way to get a perfectly smooth, lump-free finish. Takes 30 seconds, makes all the difference.

Substitutions and Fun Variations

Feel free to mess with this recipe. It’s pretty forgiving.

• Nuts: Walnuts work great. Allergic to nuts? Leave them out. Add ½ cup of rolled oats to the swirl if you still want some texture.
• Spices: Got pumpkin pie spice? Use that instead of the individual spices. A pinch of cardamom would also be next-level.
• Frosting: If you’re not a glaze person, a tangy cream cheese frosting would be absolutely killer on this cake.

Healthy-ish Swaps

Disclaimer: This is dessert, not a salad. But if you want to make a few tweaks, here you go.

To Make It Healthier	Swap This…	For This…	The Result?
Reduce Sugar	1 ½ cups white sugar	1 ¼ cups white sugar	Still sweet, less guilt.
Cut Down Oil	1 cup oil	½ cup oil + ½ cup applesauce	A bit denser, still delish.
Go Dairy-Free	Buttermilk & Milk	Plant-milk + vinegar	Nobody will even know.

Leftovers & Storage

If you somehow have leftovers—and that’s a big “if”—just store them in an airtight container. It stays good at room temp for up to 4 days.

Honestly, it gets even more moist and flavorful on day two. So maybe make it a day ahead on purpose? Just a thought.

FAQs (Questions I Get a Lot)

Q1. HELP! My swirl sank to the bottom. What did I do wrong?

Ans: Deep breaths. It happens. Usually, it means your batter was a tad too thin. Make sure it has a nice, thick consistency to hold up all that sugary, nutty goodness.

Q2. Can I bake this in a bundt pan?

Ans: Totally. A bundt would look amazing. Just be borderline obsessive about greasing and flouring every single little nook of the pan. The bake time will probably be longer, closer to 55-65 minutes.

Q3. Why did my cake turn out dry?

Ans: Nine times out of ten, it’s overbaking. Ovens are liars, so start checking for doneness a few minutes early. The other culprit is too much flour—spoon it into the cup, don’t scoop.

So, There You Have It.

This is more than a recipe; it’s an experience in a 9×13 pan. It’s what happens when a sweet potato pie and a cinnamon roll decide to become one.

Make it for a potluck, a Tuesday night, or just for yourself. I’m not judging. Let me know how it goes—drop a comment below if you try it or have questions!