This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Cinnamon roll cake is a favorite breakfast treat in cake form. With a quick prep and cook time it’s on the table in no time!

Cinnamon roll cake is a cake version of classic Cinnamon Rolls. If you’re looking for a shortcut, this recipe is it! And if you like this, you’ll love our Cinnamon Roll Bites too!

Cinnamon roll cake recipe on a white plate.
Save This Recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

A Family Favorite!

This next breakfast recipe is a family favorite.

Imagine Homemade Cinnamon Rolls in cake form. I can tell you right now that it is AMAZING, and a Family Favorite!

Why you will love it too:

  • Delicious. With loads of butter, cinnamon, glaze and flavor, this recipe always gets rave reviews!
  • Great for holidays. Make it for parties or for special mornings, like Christmas.
  • Simple. Just mix, dollop, swirl and bake. This cake comes together in no time.

It’s pretty much a family favorite dessert (and breakfast) and has become a go-to like our Easy Coffee Cake Recipe.

Ingredients

  • all-purpose flour
  • sugar
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • milk
  • eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • unsalted butter, melted

Cinnamon Topping

  • unsalted butter softened
  • brown sugar
  • all-purpose flour
  • ground cinnamon

Glaze

  • powdered sugar, sifted
  • milk
  • vanilla extract
Adding cinnamon batter to white batter in a baking dish.

Just Mix and Bake!

  1. PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. BATTER. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, eggs, and vanilla together. Slowly stir in melted butter and pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
  3. CINNAMON TOPPING. In a medium bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Dollop over the top of the cake mixture evenly.
  4. SWIRL. Swirl your topping and cake mixture with a knife, only inserting it halfway into the cake batter and going up and down the length of the pan.
  5. BAKE. Bake for 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  6. GLAZE. Meanwhile, mix all glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the warm cake.
Swirling cinnamon batter into the white batter of a baking dish.

Recipe Tips

Do not overmix. If you over-mix the cinnamon swirls it may take longer for the cake portion to fully bake.

Flour. If you have self-rising flour, you can use 3 cups of that, but you will also need to omit the baking powder and salt as the self-rising flour already has it mixed in.

Mix-ins. You can add raisins or chopped nuts to the cake.

Swirling cinnamon batter into the white batter of a baking dish.

Storing Info

STORE. Allow homemade cinnamon roll cake to cool before covering it with foil or saran wrap and leaving it on the counter before reheating. If you are making it ahead of time, I recommend serving it within 24 hours but leftovers will keep for 3-4 days.

FREEZE. Let the easy cinnamon roll cake recipe cool and cover it tightly in plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat pieces in the microwave or the whole pan at a low temp in the oven.

Cinnamon roll cake slice served on a white plate.

For more Cinnamon Roll recipes:

5 from 218 votes

Cinnamon Roll Cake

By: Lil’ Luna
Cinnamon roll cake is a favorite breakfast treat in cake form. With a quick prep and cook time it's on the table in only 40 minutes!
Servings: 12
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cups milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Cinnamon Topping

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 5 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
  • Slowly stir in melted butter and pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
  • Cinnamon topping: In another bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Dollop over the top of the cake mixture evenly.
  • Swirl your topping and cake mixture with a knife, only inserting it halfway into the batter and going up and down the length of the pan.
  • Bake for 28–32 minutes.
  • Mix all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over the cake while it is still warm.

Video

Notes

Frosting. This recipe uses a glaze topping, but you can make a cream cheese frosting instead. 
Make ahead of time. Bake it 24 hours in advance and store, unglazed, covered at room temperature. You can also wrap the baked cake with plastic and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Just reheat it in the oven for a few minutes to get warm before drizzling with the glaze.
Store leftovers, covered, on the counter for 3-4 days or wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 538kcal, Carbohydrates: 82g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 83mg, Sodium: 132mg, Potassium: 270mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 56g, Vitamin A: 692IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 140mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

So Easy & So Yummy

Get my cookbook!

My new cookbook is the ultimate resource for feeding your friends and family with 200+ simple recipes including videos, tips & more!

5 from 218 votes (78 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




382 Comments

  1. Mary says:

    5 stars
    Wow!!!! Just threw this together and it came out perfect. I accidentally melted the butter for the cinnamon part, and it still came out perfect. It’s almost gone. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      LOL!! We love this recipe!! I’m glad you liked it!! Thanks for letting me know!

  2. Michele says:

    Hi. I just made this cake and was wondering if it’s supposed to be light and airy or dense because I just made this and it was dense and a little on the dry side. Do you have any ideas as to what I may have done wrong? I’ve been cooking for 30 years but am just a recipe follower.

  3. Cindy reetz says:

    5 stars
    Made your cinnamon bun cake and my family loved it. Im not a good cook but your recipe was easy to follow and tastes great. First time ive made a desert from scratch. Usually just buy a box of something. Thank you very much.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Oh, I’m so glad!! I’m sure you could make a lot more than you think!! Thanks for letting me know!

  4. Taylor says:

    We have a egg allergy in our house! What can we use as a replacement?? I’d love to make this for my family! Also would soy milk work as a replacement of milk?

  5. JJones says:

    5 stars
    This is outstanding! Thank you for a keeper recipe.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      SO glad you liked it. 😀

  6. Tally says:

    5 stars
    Yep it’s yummy

  7. Charlotte says:

    Just made this (its 11 pm)! We are snowed in and I was “bored”. I did add an additional 10 minutes (over-mixer here). Two questions. 1. Did you use dark brown sugar? I used light. 2. The cake was a little crumbly. Was it because I sliced it before letting it cool a little or should I cut the cooking time next time? Thanks. I feel sososo fat now.

  8. Mary says:

    5 stars
    Just finished a piece, the cake reminded me of bisquick, next time I will add more milk as a few mentioned because the batter was very thick. Otherwise, hubby is on second piece 🙂

  9. Alisha K says:

    5 stars
    I pinned this two years ago and haven’t made it yet. I just made this to bring for work tomorrow. Followed the directions exactly and it turned out absolutely amazing!!! Thank you for a cinnamon rolls recipe, without all the work of cinnamon rolls!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      YAY!!! I’m so happy to hear that, Alisha!! It’s definitely a favorite at our house too. Hope you can find even more recipes from the site that you like. 🙂

  10. Suzanne says:

    5 stars
    I made this Saturday and it is amzaing! We love it. So much easier than making rolls. Thank you so much!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      It’s definitely easier than normal Cinnamon Rolls. So glad you liked it!! Thanks for stopping by!