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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.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes:
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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.
This recipe slaps ong
Side note: don’t put the eggs in hot butter
I’m just curious, where exactly does she say to put eggs into hot butter??
This recipe is perfect as written. I didn’t make any modifications and it came out moist and delicious! I used all organic ingredients: whole milk, egg, and real butter, so maybe that’s why? My “dude” who loves cinnamon rolls, loved this cake!! Thank you!!
I tried this today and mine came out very moist and delicious. I did bake this is a foil pan and for 42 minutes.
It seemed too heavy, dense. Didn’t like it.
Very delicious cake, came out very moist
Very dry was disappointed
Super tasty! I added some left over chopped nuts and it added a nice crunch.
Hi there. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Is there any way I can make this cake more moist? Perhaps substitute sour cream for milk? Would that work?
Thank you.
You could definitely experiment 🙂
Instead of making the cake from scratch, do you think a boxed cake would work?
I haven’t tried it but I can’t see why not :). I’d follow the cooking direction on your box mix.
The best!!!
I’m opting for a whipped cream on top instead of cream cheese for a lighter frosting!