This Cinnamon Roll Cake may just be better than regular cinnamon rolls. It is perfectly sweet, full of warm cinnamon flavors, and surprisingly easy to make.
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I have to admit that when I first thought about making a cinnamon roll cake, it sounded a little difficult. After all, preparing homemade cinnamon rolls is not an easy task. I am definitely one to just go buy a roll of refrigerated cinnamon rolls and call it a day. Those store-bought rolls are so good!
But I wanted to take the challenge and make a cinnamon roll cake from scratch and I was amazed to find how easy it was! Anyone can make this easy cinnamon roll cake in just a matter of minutes. It may even be better than my Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole!
Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe
My cinnamon roll cake recipe starts with a delicious brown sugar and sour cream cake batter. The smooth, thick batter is poured into a cake pan and then dotted with homemade cinnamon filling.
The cinnamon filling is swirled into the cake batter, and the cake is transferred to the oven to bake. It really only takes about 15 minutes to get the cake into the oven. Then, all you need to do is whisk together a quick frosting, add it to the cake, and you are done!
I know I make it sound easy, but it honestly is. And the end results are amazing. This cinnamon cake is perfect for almost any occasion. I have even served it as a breakfast which my kids absolutely love.
Hey, cinnamon rolls are a breakfast food, right? So a cinnamon roll cake is just a super fancy breakfast food! Give it a try for breakfast or dessert, and I know you will love it.
If you like this recipe, try my Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, too!
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Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Cake
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour in both the cake portion of the recipe and in the cinnamon filling.
- Brown sugar – I like to use dark brown sugar since it has a stronger taste, but light brown sugar will work as well.
- Baking powder
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Milk – Whole milk is best as it makes the cake nice and rich.
- Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream rather than the light version.
- Butter – This is one recipe where salted butter or unsalted butter will work. There is no added salt in this recipe so salted butter will be okay.
- Cinnamon
- Powdered sugar
Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations you can try when making cinnamon roll cake.
- Use gluten-free baking flour mix to make a gluten-free cinnamon roll cake.
- Use almond extract in the cake to give the cinnamon roll cake a nutty taste.
- If you like crunch in your cinnamon rolls, try adding ½ cup chopped walnuts to the cinnamon filling.
- Swap the glaze for cream cheese frosting.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cake
Below is an overview of the instructions for this recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information!
- Prep your equipment: Preheat your oven, and grease a baking dish. Set the dish aside for now.
- Make the cake: Mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, milk, and sour cream in a large bowl. Add the melted butter, and stir well. Spread the cake batter evenly into the greased baking pan.
- Make the cinnamon filling: Blend all the ingredients in a large bowl until you have a thick, sugary mix.
- Add the filling to the cake: Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon filling across the cake, spacing it evenly. Then, use a knife to gently swirl the cinnamon filling into the cake batter. Don’t mix too much! Just make nice swirls.
- Bake the cake: Bake the cake until the top is golden brown, and the cake pulls away from the edges of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan.
- Make the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla together until thick and smooth. Pour the glaze over top of the warm cake.
- Slice and serve: Slice and serve the cake right from the pan!
Quick Tip:
If you want a thicker frosting for the top of the cinnamon roll cake, add another cup of powdered sugar to the frosting recipe. this will make it super thick and sweet. On the other hand, you can add about three tablespoons of extra milk to make it a thinner glaze. Both frosting versions are delicious, it just depends on how you like your cinnamon rolls!
Tips for Success
- Don’t overbake the cinnamon roll cake. Keep an eye on the cake in the oven, and don’t let the cake overbake. If left in the oven too long, the cake will easily dry out.
- Let the cake cool down. Take the time to let the cake cool down to room temperature. It will be much easier to slice and will ensure clean cuts.
- Dollop evenly. When adding the cinnamon filling to the cake, spread them out evenly. This will ensure that cinnamon filling is in each bite.
How to Store Cinnamon Roll Cake
Wrap leftover cinnamon roll cake with plastic wrap. Store it at room temperature for two to three days. Or, store your cake in the fridge for up to one week.
I prefer the texture of the cake when served at room temperature. However, it’s surprisingly delicious cold, too!
FAQs
No! My easy cinnamon roll cake recipe will stay fresh at room temperature for about two days. You can place it in the fridge to extend its shelf life up to about a week. However, the texture is actually best when kept at room temperature.
Yes! You could use a yellow cake mix for the cake portion of this recipe, then dot it with the homemade cinnamon roll filling. I recommend making the cake mix with sour cream which will give it a unique taste and help the cake taste homemade.
You can freeze this cake, but I recommend skipping the frosting part. Bake the cake, and let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze the cake for up to three months.
Thaw the cake at room temperature. Once thawed, whisk the frosting in a small bowl, and spread it on top of the cake. The cake will be as good as the day it was made!
More Cinnamon Recipes To Make
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Cinnamon Pancakes
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Breakfast
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Quick & Easy Desserts
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
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Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Cinnamon Roll Cake
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoon
- 9×13 cake pan
- Two medium mixing bowls
- Baking spray
- Butter knife
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup melted butter
Cinnamon Filling
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Start by making the cake. Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, eggs, milk, and sour cream into a large bowl. Stir everything together well to form a smooth batter.3 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream
- While stirring, slowly pour in the melted butter. Mixing the butter in a little bit at a time will help blend it well without causing the batter to separate.1/2 cup melted butter
- Pour the cake batter into your baking dish and spread it into an even layer in the pan.
- Next, make the cinnamon filling. Mix all of the ingredients for the cinnamon filling together in a medium-sized bowl. The mix will look thick and sugary.3/4 cup butter, softened, 1 cup brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Scoop spoonfuls of the cinnamon filling and drop it onto the cake batter. Put dollops of the cinnamon filling evenly across the surface of the cake batter until you have used all of the cinnamon filling.
- Run a butter knife through the cinnamon filling and cake batter, swirling them together. Try to make a spiral or marble effect as you swirl the knife through the batter. You do not want to over-mix the cinnamon into the batter but keep the defined swirls.
- Bake the cinnamon roll cake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. The top will be a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean.
- Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes while you make the glaze.
- To make the cinnamon roll glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla together in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the glaze over the cinnamon roll cake, spreading it across the entire top of the cake.2 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Slice the cinnamon roll cake and enjoy while warm!
Notes
- Try making a honey glaze by replacing the melted butter with the same quantity of honey. This makes a delicious, rich cinnamon roll frosting.
- Use two 9×5 loaf pans to make two smaller, cinnamon cake loaves. They are great to slice and serve!
Can you make this the night before refrigerate and then bake the next morning?