Indulge in the comforting flavors of a classic cinnamon roll, transformed into an effortlessly delicious cake. This homemade Cinnamon Roll Cake features a tender, moist crumb swirled with a rich cinnamon-sugar filling, all crowned with a luscious vanilla icing. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion, offering all the delightful taste without the fuss of traditional rolls.
The Ultimate Cinnamon Roll Experience in Cake Form
Do you ever find yourself scrolling through intricate recipes, only to lose interest at the sight of a long ingredient list or complex steps? We understand that feeling perfectly! Many home bakers initially feel daunted by the idea of homemade cinnamon rolls, imagining a time-consuming process involving yeast, rising times, and extensive kneading. However, what if we told you that you could enjoy all the warm, comforting essence of a cinnamon roll in a much simpler, more approachable dessert?
Enter the Cinnamon Roll Cake – a game-changer for anyone who loves the iconic breakfast pastry but desires an easier baking experience. This recipe delivers the irresistible aroma and delightful taste of a freshly baked cinnamon roll, but in the convenient and universally loved form of a cake. It’s wonderfully warm, incredibly comforting, and significantly less complicated than you might imagine. Forget the rolling, cutting, and multiple proofs; this cake offers a straightforward path to pure cinnamon bliss.
Why This Easy Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe is a Must-Try
This isn’t just another cake; it’s a celebration of simplicity and flavor. We’ve fine-tuned this recipe to ensure maximum deliciousness with minimum effort. Here’s why this Cinnamon Roll Cake will quickly become a staple in your recipe collection:
- Effortless Preparation: No yeast, no complicated rolling, and no endless waiting. This recipe comes together quickly, making it perfect for last-minute cravings or busy weekends.
- Irresistible Flavor: Every bite is packed with the classic taste of cinnamon, brown sugar, and a hint of vanilla, creating a harmonious blend that’s deeply satisfying.
- Perfect Texture: The cake itself is incredibly moist and tender, providing the ideal canvas for the rich, gooey cinnamon swirl.
- Crowd-Pleaser: From family breakfasts to holiday brunches or simple dessert nights, this cake is guaranteed to impress and delight everyone who tries it.
- Adaptable: While perfect as is, this recipe also offers room for personalization, allowing you to add your unique touch.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Easy Cinnamon Roll Cake
While it’s technically possible to substitute a boxed cake mix, this specific recipe was developed for a homemade batter to achieve its desired fluffy yet sturdy texture. Boxed cake mixes tend to be much softer and lighter, which means they might struggle to support the richer, denser cinnamon swirl filling. If you opt for a boxed vanilla cake mix, be aware that the delicious cinnamon filling might sink to the bottom of the pan instead of creating those beautiful swirls. However, if convenience is your priority, you can use a vanilla cake mix and simply prepare our cinnamon roll filling, swirling it gently into the batter before baking. Adjust baking times as needed based on your specific cake mix instructions, and always perform the toothpick test.
Absolutely! This recipe is quite flexible. To halve it, simply divide all ingredients by two. You can then bake it in a single 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch square pan. If you prefer to make the full recipe and still want smaller portions, you could also prepare it in two 8×8-inch pans, baking one for immediate enjoyment and freezing the other for later. This “bake one, give one” approach is wonderful for sharing with friends or having a convenient treat on hand. Remember that baking times will vary significantly with different pan sizes; smaller pans will likely bake faster, so keep a close eye on your cake and use the toothpick test for doneness.
We don’t recommend baking this Cinnamon Roll Cake in a Bundt pan or as individual cupcakes. The primary challenge arises from the cinnamon swirl filling. In a Bundt pan, the filling can become too concentrated at the bottom or sides, potentially sticking or creating a dense, uneven texture. For cupcakes, the filling tends to sink, resulting in less of that characteristic “swirl” and potentially making them difficult to handle. This cake truly shines when baked in a 9×13-inch rectangular baking dish, where the filling can spread evenly and create a beautiful, consistent marble effect throughout each slice. The flatter surface also allows for the perfect glaze distribution.
To maintain the cake’s moistness and flavor, avoid refrigerating it. Like many homemade cakes, chilling can cause it to dry out quickly. Instead, store your leftover Cinnamon Roll Cake tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature on your counter for up to 2 days. For longer storage, this cake freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices or the entire cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cake overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or gently warm before serving for the best experience.
Essential Ingredients for Your Homemade Cinnamon Roll Cake
Crafting the perfect Cinnamon Roll Cake starts with quality ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and some helpful tips for each:
For the Cake Batter:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cake. While some bakers swear by sifting flour for an extra fluffy texture, a quick stir with a fork in the bowl usually suffices to aerate it. The most crucial tip is to avoid packing your measuring cup. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a straight edge (like the back of a knife) to ensure you don’t add too much, which can lead to a dry, dense cake.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides the perfect sweetness for the cake batter. We haven’t tested this recipe with sugar substitutes, so for best results, stick with traditional granulated sugar.
- Baking Powder: Our leavening agent. Freshness is key here! Expired or inactive baking powder is a common culprit for baked goods that don’t rise properly. To test its freshness, mix a teaspoon of baking powder with half a cup of hot water. If it fizzes immediately, it’s good to go!
- Large Eggs: Contribute to the cake’s structure, richness, and moisture. For optimal mixing and a better rise, always bring your eggs to room temperature before incorporating them into the batter. Room temperature eggs emulsify more easily with other ingredients, creating a smoother, more uniform batter.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the other flavors and adds a warm, aromatic depth to the cake. Use a good quality pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps tenderize the cake. Like eggs, room temperature milk blends more smoothly into the batter, preventing curdling and promoting a better texture. Any type of milk (whole, 2%, skim) will work, but whole milk will yield a slightly richer cake.
- Salted Butter (Melted and Slightly Cooled): Provides richness and flavor. Since we’re using salted butter, there’s no need to add additional salt to the cake batter, ensuring a balanced flavor profile. Ensure the butter is melted but slightly cooled, so it doesn’t cook the eggs when added to the mixture.
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- Salted Butter (Softened to Room Temperature): The base of our glorious cinnamon swirl. Softened butter blends beautifully with the sugars and flour, creating a smooth, spreadable filling.
- Light Brown Sugar (Packed): Delivers that signature caramel-like sweetness and moisture to the filling. Unlike granulated sugar, brown sugar should always be packed firmly into the measuring cup to ensure accurate quantity.
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps thicken the filling slightly, preventing it from becoming too runny and ensuring it stays beautifully swirled within the cake.
- Ground Cinnamon: The star of the show! Use fresh, aromatic ground cinnamon for the most vibrant flavor.
For the Vanilla Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Creates a smooth, sweet, and quickly dissolving glaze. Sifting it can prevent lumps.
- Milk: Adjusts the consistency of the glaze. Start with the recommended amount and add more drops at a time to reach your desired thickness.
- Vanilla Extract: Infuses the glaze with a delicate, complementary vanilla flavor.
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Roll Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
Get ready to fill your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of cinnamon! Follow these simple steps to bake your perfect Cinnamon Roll Cake.
Prepping Your Oven and Pan:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Ensuring your oven is at the correct temperature before baking is crucial for even cooking and proper rise.
- Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish. Generously spray it with a nonstick cooking spray. For extra assurance, especially with sugary fillings, you can use a spray that contains flour or dust the pan with a little flour after spraying. This prevents sticking and ensures a clean release.
Creating the Moist Cake Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup white granulated sugar, and 4 teaspoons baking powder. Briefly whisk them together to ensure they are well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl: 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 ½ cups milk. Start mixing on low speed until the ingredients are just moistened.
- While your mixer is running on low, slowly drizzle in ½ cup (1 stick) of melted and slightly cooled salted butter. Mix just until all ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added, as this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in a tough and rubbery cake. A few small lumps are perfectly fine!
- Evenly spread this cake batter into your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish using a spatula. Make sure the surface is as flat as possible to ensure even baking.
Crafting the Cinnamon Swirl Filling:
- In a separate small bowl, combine all your filling ingredients: ¾ cup softened salted butter, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon.
- Stir these ingredients together vigorously with a spoon or fork until they are thoroughly combined and form a thick, cohesive paste. The mixture should be well-blended, with no streaks of individual ingredients.
- Using a teaspoon or small spoon, drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon filling evenly over the top of the cake batter in the baking dish. Aim for small, spaced-out dollops rather than large clumps to facilitate easier swirling.
- Now comes the fun, artistic part! Take a butter knife or a thin skewer and gently swirl it through both the cinnamon filling and the cake batter. Create beautiful, marble-effect patterns all around the cake, ensuring some of the cinnamon mixture is drawn into the batter without completely blending it. This technique creates those signature cinnamon roll swirls.
Baking to Golden Perfection:
- Place the baking dish in your preheated oven and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. Baking times can vary depending on your oven, so always keep an eye on it. In our test oven, it took about 40 minutes to reach perfection.
- The cake is done when a knife or wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, with no wet batter attached. The top should be golden brown and the edges lightly pulled away from the pan.
Whipping Up the Dreamy Vanilla Glaze:
- While the cake is baking, prepare your luscious vanilla glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar, 5 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Continue whisking until the glaze is smooth and free of lumps. The consistency should be pourable yet thick enough to coat a spoon. If you prefer a thicker glaze, add a small amount more powdered sugar. For a thinner glaze, add a few more drops of milk, one at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Once the cake is out of the oven and still warm (this allows the glaze to melt slightly and seep into the cake, creating extra moisture and flavor), pour the prepared glaze evenly over the entire surface of the cake.
Watch as the glaze beautifully settles into all the nooks and crannies of the warm cake, creating an even more irresistible texture and flavor.
Serving Your Masterpiece:
This Cinnamon Roll Cake can be served warm, straight from the oven (after the glaze has set for a few minutes), or at room temperature. While it’s delightful warm and gooey, you might find that the cake slices up more neatly and cleanly once it has cooled completely. Enjoy!
Trey’s Raving Review
“Woah – this was outstanding. Made it for my girlfriend and she and her friends loved it. Thank you for all your great directions and step by step photos and videos. It made it so much easier for me!”
– Trey
Tips for Success
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the cake batter, especially after adding the flour, can lead to a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For a smoother, more uniform batter and better rise, ensure your eggs and milk are at room temperature.
- Check Baking Powder: Old baking powder can prevent your cake from rising. Always check its freshness.
- Perfect Swirls: Don’t over-swirl the cinnamon filling. A few gentle passes with a knife are enough to create a beautiful marble effect without completely blending it in.
- Warm Cake, Cool Glaze (or vice versa): Pouring glaze over a warm cake allows it to melt slightly and soak in, adding moisture. If you want a thicker, more defined glaze layer, let the cake cool completely before glazing.
Delicious Variations to Try
While this Cinnamon Roll Cake is perfect on its own, here are a few ideas to customize it:
- Nutty Crunch: Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon filling for an extra layer of texture and flavor.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: For a more traditional cinnamon roll experience, substitute the vanilla glaze with a rich cream cheese frosting. Simply beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, a touch of milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Apple Cinnamon: Mix finely diced apples (like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) into the cinnamon filling for a delightful apple-cinnamon cake.
- Spice It Up: Enhance the cinnamon filling with a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for a warmer, more complex spice profile.
Craving More Cinnamon-Inspired Recipes?
If you’ve fallen in love with the comforting flavors of cinnamon, you’ll adore these other delightful recipes:
- Cinnamon Roll Casserole
- Easy Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
- Tik Tok Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Sugar Butter Swim Biscuits
And for other delightful cakes:
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Italian Love Cake
- Pistachio Cake
Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe Card
Cinnamon Roll Cake
This Homemade Cinnamon Roll Cake dessert has all the flavor of a cinnamon roll but in an easy cake with a vanilla icing drizzled on top!
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (based on 465 reviews)
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Author: Brandie Skibinski
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted (slightly cooled)
For the cinnamon filling:
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 5 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cake:
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish generously with nonstick cooking spray (a spray with flour is recommended for easy release). In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup white granulated sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 ½ cups milk. Mix until just moistened.
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While your mixer is running on low speed, slowly add ½ cup (1 stick) of melted and slightly cooled salted butter. Mix just until all ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth. Avoid overmixing.
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Spread this batter evenly into your prepared baking dish, ensuring a flat and consistent layer.
For the filling:
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In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup salted butter (softened to room temperature), 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon. Stir well until combined into a thick paste.
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Drop the cinnamon filling by spoonfuls evenly over the cake batter in the baking dish.
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Using a butter knife or thin skewer, gently make swirly, marble-effect patterns all around the cake, dragging the knife through both the cinnamon and cake batter to create a beautiful swirl.
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Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes (it took about 40 minutes in our oven), or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
For the glaze:
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Whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar, 5 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. If you desire a thicker glaze, add a little more powdered sugar. For a thinner glaze, add a few more drops of milk.
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Pour the glaze evenly over the warm cake. The cake can be served warm for a gooey treat, or at room temperature. For neater slices, allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Video Tutorial
Watch our step-by-step video to see how easily this delicious Cinnamon Roll Cake comes together!
Notes
- For the cinnamon/sugar filling, you might find that only one stick of butter (½ cup) is sufficient, depending on your desired consistency. Feel free to adjust to your preference.
- Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor experience.
Nutritional Information (Estimate)
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 538 kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 203mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 56g
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Originally published: March 2012
Updated photos (not the recipe): June 2023