Saturday Share - Let's Make Honey Bun Cake

 When I was a kid, my older brother Vernon loved honey buns. This was a snack cake made created in North Carolina by the Griffin Pie Company back in the 1950s.

By the time honey buns reached our state, they came from Flowers Foods. I don’t know if this was a licensed product or a merger of companies.

I do know that my brother’s lifelong love for this golden brown treat still makes me smile. Little boys—and girls—grow up but they don’t abandon the delights of childhood.

I think these snack cakes found at convenience stores are now made and sold by Little Debbie.

GENESIS OF HONEY BUN CAKE

Southern home cooks are always looking for ways to recreate something popular which is how the Honey Bun Cake came into being. Today’s recipe was in my sister-in-law’s collection. Judy was an amazing home chef. I don’t think she ever made anything that wasn’t mouthwateringly delicious even though she often used a box cake mix because she was a busy woman and needed timesaving methods.

By the way, you’ll be serving the cake in the baking pan so if a “pretty” table is important to you, invest in a pretty baking pan for your casseroles and cakes.

You can buy Honey Buns but the taste isn’t the same.

Judy’s Honey Bun Cake

Ingredients – Batter

1 yellow cake mix

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

8 ounces sour cream

Ingredients – Filling

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Pretty 9×13 Baking Dish from Amazon

Ingredients – Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. (175° C.). Prepare a 9″x13″ baking pan by spraying with baking spray or lightly buttering. You’ll be serving the cake from this pan.

2. Mix the batter ingredients well. The batter will be thick.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the filling ingredients.

4. Pour half of the batter into the baking dish and smooth. Sprinkle the filling over this. Then spread the rest of the batter on top.

5. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes until cake is done. If in doubt, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake top layer. If it comes out clean, it’s done.

6. Remove from the oven and cool in the pain for about 15 minutes. While the cake is cooling, mis up the glaze. If the glaze is too thick add more hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring well after each until it is pourable. Using a skewer or fork, poke holes in the cake and evenly pour the glaze over the cake while it is still warm.

7. Cut into squares and serve. People go absolutely crazy over this cake.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This is a delicious dessert. It’s not something you’d eat every day, but for special occasions, you can’t beat it. Brew some coffee to go along with the cake. Bon appetite!

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Joan Reeves aka SlingWords: The Word Slinging Adventures of Joan Reeves

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