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!
A Cinnamon Roll In Cake Form
Are you one of those folks whose eyes glaze over when you see a recipe that has more than 5 ingredients? You completely lose interest and skip on to the next one. I know the feeling! It’s kinda how I felt about this one when I first saw this recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cake. But then I heard all the great reviews everyone was giving it and I knew I had to make it! This cake is really so warm and comforting and is easier to make than you might think!
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
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes technically you could but this recipe was not designed for a boxed cake mix. Boxed cake mixes tend to be a little too soft so they have a hard time holding up to a heavier filling like the one below. So please keep in mind your filling may fall straight to the bottom. If you insist on using a boxed cake mix, you could use a vanilla cake mix and then just make the cinnamon roll filling and swirl it around. Then continue with the rest of the baking instructions.
Yes. You can either make two 8×8-inch pans or just cut the ingredients in half and make one 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch pan. I think it would be a great idea to make one and take one. Keep one at home and give one to a friend.
Obviously baking times will vary since it’s a smaller pan. I can’t give you specific baking times though since I haven’t tested that out myself.
I don’t recommend it. The problem you run into is that swirl topping could sink and end up becoming a bit of a mess. This cake works best as a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Do not refrigerate it. As with many homemade cakes, if you put it in the refrigerator, it will start to dry it out. Keep it stored (covered) on the counter for up to 2 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- all-purpose flour – I don’t usually sift flour with baked goods but some folks swear by it and think it produces a fluffier cake, so if you have time, then you can certainly sift it. I usually just take a fork and stir the flour a bit in the bowl. Also, do not pack your measuring cup with flour. Use a spoon to full up the measuring cup with flour and shake as you go to level it off. If you pack the measuring cup, you’ll end up with too much flour and your cake will taste dry and be very dense.
- granulated sugar – I have not tried this with any sort of sugar substitute so can’t say for sure how that would work.
- baking powder – it is very important you make sure your baking powder is fresh. Most baked goods do not turn out properly because the baking powder was not fresh or expired.
- eggs – when making baked goods, it helps to have your eggs at room temperature. It just helps them to mix in better with the better and there is a whole bunch of science on how it helps the cake to rise.
- milk – if possible, the milk should be at room temperature as well.
- salted butter – we are not adding additional salt to the cake batter which is usually what you do for cakes so instead, we’re just going to use salted butter. See my post on How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- light brown sugar – when measuring brown sugar, unlike measuring flour, make sure you pack it into the measuring cup.
How To Make Cinnamon Roll Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I like the kind that has flour in it.) In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), combine ingredients for cake (except melted butter.)
While your mixer is running, slowly add the 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix just until combined – overmixing flour in baked goods can make it tough and rubbery.
Spread this batter evenly into your baking dish.
Now to make the filling. In a small bowl, combine all your filling ingredients: softened butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir until combined well.
Drop the cinnamon filling by spoonfuls onto the cake batter.
Now the artistic part. Take a butter knife and make swirly, marble-effect patterns all around the cake. Drag the knife through both the cinnamon and cake batter.
Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes (it took about 40 minutes in my oven), until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in small bowl.
Pour the glaze over the warm cake.
The glaze is gonna settle into all those nooks and crannies.
Serve warm or at room temperature. I think the cake slices up better once it’s cooled down.
Craving More 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
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Italian Love Cake
- Pistachio Cake
Originally published: March 2012
Updated photos (not the recipe): June 2023
Cinnamon Roll Cake
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 1/2 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:
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I like the kind that has flour in it.) 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 1/2 cups milk.
- While your mixer is running, slowly add 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted. Mix just until combined (overmixing flour in baked goods can make it tough and rubbery.)
- Spread this batter evenly into your prepared baking dish.
For the filling:
- In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon. Stir until combined well.
- Drop the cinnamon filling by spoonfuls onto the cake batter.
- Take a butter knife and make swirly, marble-effect patterns all around the cake. Drag the knife through both the cinnamon and cake batter.
- Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes (it took about 40 minutes in my oven), until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
For the glaze:
- Whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar, 5 Tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl. If you want it thicker, add more powdered sugar and if you want it thinner, add more milk.
- Pour the glaze over the warm cake. This cake can be served warm or at room temperature but I think it's easier to slice if you allow it to cool first.
Video
Notes
- I think you could get away with only using one stick of butter in the cinnamon/sugar filling mixture.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
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.
Super easy to make and everyone loved it. Highly recommend and will absolutely make it again.
Hi,I was wondering if I can use a box cake mix for this recipe…Butter or cinnamon flavor?
I actually answer that exact question in a bit more detail above in the frequently asked question section 🙂
I’m about to make this recipe but want to know if I can make it in advance and freeze it.
This cake is really good Thank you for the recipe My family calls it comfort food
Beautiful texture and presentation, but am I the only one who tastes the baking powder? I was worried because it was the first thing that I tasted when I sampled the cake, however when I fed it to a large group of non-bakers they all thought that it was excellent. My hubby thought it was perfect, until I asked him if there wasn’t too strong of a baking powder flavour. Once it was pointed out, he couldn´t not taste it, “Oh, that is what that flavour is!” He said that it was noticeable but NOT overpowering (he bakes sometimes). I still think overall it is a keeper, but I will need to tweak it; and I will cut the glaze by about half or at least a third.
Try aluminum free baking powder next time. I’m super sensitive to that taste as well but not everyone is. It makes a huge difference! 🙂
So good,Made it a few times and everyone loved it!
Please take the pics out of the actual recipe. Takes forever to load and not printable (one page). Thank you!
You don’t have to print them. After you hit the “print” button on the recipe card above, you then would’ve had to check a box that specifically says to print “Instruction Images”, otherwise the system is set up to NOT print the images.
very good love that already makes a big recipe! great for bigger families. thanks sooooo much for this recipe definitely making a second time
so good and turned out so pretty! my co workers loved it
Turned out so so good. Our new favorite cake!
Perrrrfect!!!!!!
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!
This is a wonderful cake! Is there a way to make this without eggs? What would work as a substitute?
I’ve never tried it, maybe someone else on here has suggestions 🙂 Glad you love it!
Yes! I made this and substituted each egg for a 1/4 cup of plain/greek yogurt and it turned out fantastic!
Thank you SO much!!
yes! You can substitute flax eggs or use egg replacer. I do that all the time. Works great.
Love love love this recipe! I always make it when I go to somebody’s house for the first time or thank you desert and it always impresses people. I’m about to try this recipe in cupcake form for a party I hope I pull it off!
This makes me so happy to read Jessica – thank you! Be sure to let me know how they turn out!
Hi, could I make this as a layered cake instead of a sheet cake or do you think the batter would be too fragile? Thanks!
No unfortunately it won’t work as a layered cake – sorry!
Do you have any idea if raisins could be added to this somehow? I miss cinnamon rolls with raisins. That is what we had growing up.
I’m sure you could. I haven’t personally tested it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work 🙂
I don’t recommend it
I am confused, I’m sorry. This recipe is for a 9×13-inch pan. Do you mean cut it in half? I actually answer that particular question above in the Frequently Asked Question section. 🙂
My kids and I made this for my wife’s birthday. She loves anything cinnamon or cinnamon rolls so I knew she would love this. My nine-year-old twins did most of the work and this was very easy for them to make and all of your instructions and photos and videos were so helpful to them. It turned out amazing And my wife absolutely loved it and we have already eaten the whole cake so that should tell you how good it is. Thank you.
Great recipe. Easy to make and tasty! Will definitely make again.
hi! I know you said you don’t recommend making the batter a day or more in advance due to the leavening agents… but can you make it just an hour or so in advance instead?
I plan to make this for an event at 7:30 tomorrow, but I’m busy from 5-6, so I was hoping to make the batter at 4:30 and pop it in the oven right at 6.
I’ll be honest, I have never personally tried it so just know you will be experimenting here and I never like to tell anyone absolutely yes when I haven’t personally tested it my self and then they waste ingredients because the cake didn’t turn out like they thought. I *think* you should be ok but you may need to add extra time because you’re starting from cold. But again, I have never done it so it is a chance you are taking. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out@
Oh boy this was amazing. Turned out perfect and I came home with an empty dish. Absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend.
this is a easy recipe and tasted great out of the oven as well as thawed out of the freezer. Mine came out really moist and delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Could this recipe be Doubled?
I would just make two separate pans so it bakes evenly.
I made this Christmas Eve and completely forgot I was out of brown sugar before starting, so I had no choice but to use regular sugar for the cinnamon mixture instead. Still turned out great and I can’t wait to make this again as it was written – I can only imagine how much better it’ll be
I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I already love it simply because in the directions, it restates the measurements of the items used. For example, most recipes say “mix milk, butter, etc.”, but yours states the measurements, so I don’t have to look back at the top of the recipe! Lol. That’s a small thing, but it’s so helpful!
I have made this a few times, was wondering how it would be to add apple pie filling?
It might make it too heavy & not cook evenly but let me know if you try it!
I made this cake twice yesterday. Once for my church small group and once for a co workers birthday. Came home both times with an empty dish. Everyone loved it!
can you make this into muffins?
It’s a little too dense for muffins
Delicious!!!!
Wow…turned out great. Will be making this a lot. Thanks.
Can I mix this recipe and not bake it till two days later?
No unfortunately not. Once those leavening agents are activated, they lose their potency the longer they sit before being baked.
Could I add a crunchy strudel topping, like Panera Bread cinnamon crunch bagel? Thank you.
I suppose you could. This is a very rich cake to start with so perhaps if it was not an uber sweet streusel, it would work.
this cake is fantastic, amazing and sooo delicious! a winner, thank you for the recipe !
My family’s new favorite cake! I am not a good baker so I normally just use boxed cake mix. I usually find most homemade cakes kind of dry & not moist but I know that cake mixes have stuff in them that make them really moist that you just can’t find for homemade cake. We’re so used to the fake stuff that we don’t know what homemade is supposed to taste like anymore lol. Anyways, all that to say, this was outstanding! Unlike cake mixes, this doesn’t have preservatives so I wouldn’t keep it around for 2 or 3 days like the boxed stuff but don’t worry, it won’t last that long! Thank you!
I replaced the milk with heavy whipping cream. Cook 20 mins longer and it came out like a pound cake cinnamon cake.
absolutely amazing
and thankful for the note for only using one stick of butter for the cinnamon mixture, as that was all I had. and double the glaze, absolutely perfect. everyone loved it!
So happy to hear that – yay! Thank you!!
can the batter refrigerated for appx 10 hours prior to baking?
I don’t recommend it. Once you’ve stirred in the baking powder, it’s activated. The cake won’t be as soft and fluffy.
is it okay to use dark brown sugar for this recipe if i dont have light brown available?
You could but it will have a much richer and deeper molasses flavor. So it depends if you think you’d like that. This is a pretty rich cake to begin with.
My teenage son has made this a couple of times and it’s been amazing! Perfect with coffee in the morning or a nice treat after dinner. Thanks for sharing!
The first time I made this, I didn’t have a lot of luck. Then a friend recommended I test my oven temperature. Apparently a lot of ovens aren’t actually heating to the proper temperature even when it beeps when ready. It turns out she was right! My oven beeped that it was ready at 350 but it was only 295! I had no idea. So I think this was baking way too slow initially and so it was throwing the whole thing off. I made it again and baked at the actual correct temperature (ha!) and it made all the difference and turned out perfect! So if you are having issues with baked goods, I highly recommend you buy an oven thermometer. I have a brand new oven too so I thought there was no way that could be it. They are super cheap. Just stick it on the middle rack and heat up your oven to 350F to test. Or just let your oven continue to preheat for an additional 15 minutes after the bed to make sure. Homemade baked goods are not like boxed stuff. The recipes have to be very exact. It’s definitely a science. Sorry for the long comment – just hoping this might help someone else out 🙂
I agree. I found this same problem with my oven and someone else in a baking group I am in said it is pretty common. Don’t trust the beep lol. Mine wasn’t heating properly either. The oven thermometers are so cheap at Walmart. It’s made a huge difference in everything I make now. I used to think the problem was always with the recipes. It never occurred to me that the problem was my own oven!
This cake was absolutely delicious! The family loved it! This cinnamon roll cake is definitely a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing it.
For most of my life l, I thought I didn’t like cinnamon rolls. The first time I had a bite of an IKEA cinnamon roll, I realized I don’t like typical American cinnamon rolls. LOL
Between then and now, I learned that I have a wheat intolerance. Bye bye IKEA cinnamon rolls. 🙁
While your recipe is technically a cake, it reminds me so much of the taste of IKEA cinnamon rolls that I don’t even miss them anymore! 😀
This recipe absolutely works with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. TYSM! <3
Ha I love reading that!! I am so happy you gave it a chance and that you loved it. Thanks so much!!
This cake is so good it should be illegal to even exist. It’s perfect. I’ve tried it with pecans mixed into the cinnamon filling and with a cream cheese icing which was DIVINE, highly recommend.
LOL love your comment Evangeline! So thrilled you love this one!!
This is the best cake I’ve ever had! Everyone loved it! Cake didn’t last long, so we’re making another one tomorrow! It was so easy to make. The only thing I did differently was use less sugar, but I followed everything else. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Ha! That is so wonderful!! Thanks so much Kim!!
How does this hold up if you make it and frost it the night before? Planning to just keep it at room temperature. Thanks!
It should be just fine 🙂
I made this cake for my husband‘s birthday since he loves cinnamon rolls. I did make a few tweaks however and thought I’d share in case anyone else was interested. First I cut ¼ cup sugar from the batter. The batter was much thicker than I expected, but that was totally fine! (in case anyone else frets about this). My oven cooks really unevenly with regular heat (bottoms burn no matter how high the rack) so I did 325° on convection for 34 minutes instead and that was perfect. I know this recipe isn’t supposed to be great refrigerated however with the cream cheese icing, it was DELICIOUS reheated because it just melted all over the cake. Such a good cake!! We are on the day 4 polishing off the last of it and it is still so good!
Yay! I love hearing that Amy!! So happy everyone loved it!
Nothing like making a homemade cake. I’m not sure my family even knows what a homemade cake tastes like – they’re so used to boxed cake mixes which are uber moist and almost fall apart when you cut them – ha! This is so delicious and I absolutely recommend not refrigerating it. If you’ve never made a homemade cake before then you may not know that a refrigerated homemade cake can end up dry. However, this cake didn’t last long in my house. So good!
cinnamon roll cake is very tasty! so moist. It was in the oven for 32 minutes and i used 1/2 sugar, would make it again soon!
Thanks so very much Nina! So happy you enjoyed this one!
Very nice recipe
I have a cake mix I want to use up…can I use the mix for the cake part and use the recipe for the cinnamon filling?
I actually answer that question above in the FAQ (frequently asked questions)section 🙂