If you’re a fan of cinnamon rolls, you absolutely need this copycat Cinnabon cinnamon roll cake in your life.
Each bite contains ribbons of cinnamon sugar and a luscious vanilla glaze.
It’s perfect for lazy weekends, brunches, or any time you need extra sweetness to start your day.
No rising time or complicated rolling is required – just mix, swirl, bake, and enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Roll Cake
Effortlessly Delish: This recipe eliminates the need for complex steps like dough rising and rolling. It’s a quick and easy alternative to traditional cinnamon rolls.
Incredible Taste: Its delightful combination of moist, buttery cake with rich, cinnamon-sugar swirls makes every bite a comforting treat.
Crowd Pleaser: Ideal for brunches, potlucks, or family gatherings, this cake can easily feed a crowd.
Simple Ingredients: The recipe uses common pantry staples, meaning you won’t need to rush to the store. It is convenient and budget-friendly.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the cake, providing structure and texture.
- Granulated and Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness while brown sugar brings depth, moisture, and a hint of molasses.
- Baking Powder: The leavening agent that helps the cake rise and become light and fluffy.
- Salt and Vanilla: Enhance the overall flavor of the cake and balance the sweetness.
- Whole Milk: Provides moisture and richness for a tender, soft crumb.
- Large Eggs: Act as a binding agent and contribute to the cake structure and texture.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness, moisture, and a buttery taste to the cake and cinnamon swirl.
- Ground Cinnamon: The star ingredient that gives the cake its iconic cinnamon roll flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: The main component of the smooth, sweet glaze.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cake
Imagine all the warm, gooey goodness of a classic cinnamon roll transformed into a delightfully easy-to-make cake.
It’s seriously drool-worthy! And yet, it’s ready in minutes.
1. PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. MIX: Combine the dry ingredients (including the sugars) in one bowl and the wet in another.
3. COMBINE. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Slowly mix in the melted butter until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. SWIRL. Mix the filling ingredients until smooth, then dollop and swirl over the cake batter.
5. BAKE. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before glazing.
6. GLAZE. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a bit more milk.
7. SERVE. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake and let it set before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Cinnamon Roll Cake
I couldn’t resist whipping this up last weekend and let me tell you, my kitchen has never smelled so heavenly.
I love that there’s no waiting for the dough to rise or fiddling with rolling it up. Just a simple batter, a quick cinnamon swirl, and before you know it—cinnamon roll perfection!
Not convinced? Check out these tips then get baking!
- Mix gently. Whisk by hand to avoid overmixing, which creates a dense cake.
- Let the melted butter cool. This keeps it from cooking the eggs.
- Room temperature ingredients. Get everything out of the fridge 20-30 minutes early to ensure it all mixes smoothly.
- Even dollops. Drop small, even-sized dollops of the cinnamon mixture to avoid sinking and ensure a uniform swirl throughout the cake. Or pipe it in lines and feather it with a knife.
- Swirl gently. Use a knife to gently swirl the cinnamon sugar into the batter. Try not to overmix to maintain distinct cinnamon ribbons.
- Glaze consistency. Adjust the glaze consistency to achieve a smooth drizzle. Add more milk if it’s too thick or more powdered sugar if it’s too thin.
- Variations. For a twist, add chopped nuts, citrus zest, caramel, raisins, or cream cheese frosting instead.
How to Store
Trust me, if you’re a fan of cinnamon rolls, you absolutely need this cake in your life.
Baking it is always the highlight of my week and watching my family devour it makes me so happy.
And yes, you can store it in the fridge and the freezer!
To Store: Keep the cake covered at room temperature for 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for 5 days.
To Freeze: Cool the cake completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and serving.
To Reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Alternatively, heat the entire cake in a 300°Fahrenheit oven for 10-15 minutes until warm.
Note: the cake stores best without the glaze, especially in the freezer. Add fresh glaze for serving.
More Dreamy Breakfast Treats You’ll Love
Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Cherry Turnovers
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Coffee Cake Banana Bread
Cinnamon Roll Cake
12
servings15
minutes35
minutes533
kcalThis cinnamon roll cake has a tender, moist crumb, swirls of cinnamon sugar throughout, and a sweet vanilla glaze on top. It’s absolutely to die for!
Ingredients
- For the Cake
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- For the Cinnamon Swirl
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- For the Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt until everything is evenly blended.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk by hand until mostly combined. Finally, gently whisk in the melted (and slightly cooled) butter. Pour the batter into the baking dish and spread the top so it’s flat.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon until smooth and paste-like. Stir in the flour last just until no streaks of white are visible.
- Pipe lines or drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture over the cake batter, then use a knife to swirl it gently into the batter. Don’t overmix – you want ribbons of cinnamon throughout.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
- Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a bit more milk.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake and let it set before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Mix gently. Whisk by hand to avoid overmixing, which creates a dense cake.
This is the most fantastic cake I have baked in a while! For YEARS, I have tried the yeast and dough-rising technique to find that the product gets stale fast. Not this one! It is much simpler to make, lasts much longer and is actually better. (I have baked one each week for the past three weeks!)
I love seeing comments like this! <3
Does this cake need to be refrigerated?
Hi, Vic!
This cake will last for about 2 days at room temperature. For longer storage, yes, you’ll want to refrigerate it. 🙂
Loved this cake and the created smell from baking it. I’d love to see a brief video of doing the swirl into the batter. It looked ok but would have preferred to see this.
The household thought it was yummy on every count…moist, buttery and good at any time during the day!