Our easy Cinnamon Roll Cake recipe has all of the flavors of a cinnamon roll but without all the work! It’s a crowd pleaser and great for lunch or dessert.
Any occasion is worthy of Cinnamon Roll Cake
Any occasion is worthy of Cinnamon Roll Cake It’s easy enough to make anytime, and as much as I love traditional cinnamon rolls, these have that great flavor without the rising, rolling and overall time commitment. It’s appropriate for breakfast or a mouthwatering dessert. I love making it for holidays, baby showers, or any special occasion.
Check out all of my cake recipes like Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Orange Olive Oil Cake, or Fresh Apple Cake!
Ingredients Needed:
How to make a Cinnamon Roll Cake:
Make Batter: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, egg, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the melted butter then pour into greased 8×8 baking dish.
Cinnamon Swirl Topping: Mix butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Drop small spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl topping evenly over the top of the batter. Using a knife, swirl through the cake to disperse it throughout the batter.
Bake: Place in oven at 350°F for 32-37 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Make cream cheese frosting and drizzle on top of warm cake. Enjoy this homemade cinnamon roll cake with a fresh fruit salad or strawberry banana smoothie.
Storing and Freezing Instructions:
To store: Cinnamon roll cake is best served the day it’s made. It will dry out the longer it sits, just like regular cinnamon rolls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
To Freeze: Cover frosted cake with a double layer of aluminum foil or lid, and freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. If desired, rewarm slices in the microwave on half power.
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Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , or cake flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup butter , melted
Cinnamon Swirl:
- 1/2 cup butter , softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter , softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8'' baking dish.
- Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, egg and vanilla. Stir in melted butter. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Cinnamon Swirl: Combine ½ cup butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon flour, and 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, mixing until smooth.
- Swirl into cake: Drop small spoonfuls of the mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter. Use a knife to swirl through the cake and disperse the mixture throughout the cake batter.
- Bake 30-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Drizzle cream cheese frosting over warm cake. Serve warm.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a smooth, soft frosting. Drizzle frosting over the cake with a spoon, or use a ziplock bag and snip a hole out of one of the corners to pipe the frosting on.
- Serve: This cake is best served warm from the oven, the same day it's made.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe October 2017. Updated August 2020 and December 2024.
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OMIGOSH! Where has this been all my baking life??!! The bread is soft, moist & has the perfect density (not too heavy, not too airy), the cinnamon is the perfect amount of cinnamonyness (is that a word??) & the cream cheese frosting (while not absolutely necessary) is DIVINE! A perfect combination of sweet & smooth. I cut the powdered sugar in 1/2 & added in 2ish tbsp Fage 0% yogurt to the frosting & it was amazing! I am definitely saving this one for my own recipe book to make again in the future. My husband was impressed. Seal of approval! Thanks for sharing some sweetness!
Thanks so much Amanda! Love your adaptions, and your comment made me smile. So happy it got the seal of approval!
Hi Amber! Did you still use cream cheese in your frosting or omit it and only use the yogurt instead?? Love your idea! I must try that! ; )
In a hurry can I use a boxed cake mix in a 9×13 double the cinn. Mixture
Hi Martha, I’m sure that would work fine–the cake will just be the flavor and texture of whatever cake mix you buy, with a cinnamon swirl in it, and not really a “cinnamon roll” type cake.
I used boxed and it worked great! less liquid than box asked for, but for a cake in a hurry it worked and saved me time too! Everyone loved it!
Have you tried to make these as cupcakes?
I haven’t but I’m sure they would work great!
what size pan should i use.
Hi Deborah. I use an 8×8 inch baking dish. You could double the recipe and make it in a 9×13 if you wanted to.
Made this for our church coffee hour it was a big hit going to make it again tomorrow. Make with coconut or almond flour if so what would the measurements be?no
for our church is coffee our it was a big hit going to make it again tomorrow.
Could this be baked in a springform pan?
I don’t see why not! 🙂 Enjoy.
Hi,
Wanted to know if the “cinnamon roll cake” can be frozen .
I’ve never tried freezing this so I can’t say for sure! I bet it would work–let me know if you try it 🙂
Yes! This cake can be frozen. I allow the cake to cool completely before slicing into individual servings, though the whole cake can be frozen as 1 piece. To freeze, just wrap very well in plastic wrap such as Seran brand. Any brand works just fine. The cake or cake pieces will keep for up to 2 months without tasting freezer burnt. To de-thaw, place in fridge for 1-2 days, unwrapped but covered to keep moist or on the counter for a few hours. The cake is made with dairy products so it’s important to keep that in mind when de-thawing on the counter. Just don’t leave it out all night long.
Step 5 says to drizzle frosting and then step 6 are the cream cheese frosting directions. Is there another frosting in addition to the cream cheese?
No
they all look really good!!!1