This Cinnamon Roll Cake is everything you love about cinnamon rolls, but in an easy, no-fuss cake. It is delicious, sweet, and packed with cinnamon flavor, making it perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Since first making this recipe years ago, this cake has become so loved that it’s often requested for birthday breakfasts and holiday gatherings. And what makes it so amazing is the buttery cinnamon swirl baked right into the cake. Then, it’s topped with a delicious glaze that takes it out of this world.
If you’re looking for all of the delicious flavors of cinnamon rolls but in a fraction of the time (only 40 minutes from start to finish!), this is the cake to try. With loads of butter, cinnamon, glaze, and flavor, this recipe always gets rave reviews!
If you love sweet breakfast treats, try our Coffee Cake, Cinnamon Rolls, and French Toast Bake.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Easy to Make: Simple steps make this perfect for busy mornings or gatherings, plus it’s ready in only 40 minutes.
- Great for Sharing: A 9×13 pan feeds a crowd with ease. Make it for special mornings, like Christmas, or a lazy Sunday morning.
- Swirled Topping: The cinnamon mixture bakes into the cake for flavor in every bite.
- Moist Texture: The butter and milk keep the cake soft and tender.
Cinnamon Roll Cake Ingredients
Cake
- All-purpose flour (3 cups): Gives the cake structure and stability. See How to Measure Flour.
- Sugar (1 cup): Sweetens the cake and helps keep it moist.
- Baking powder (4 teaspoons): Helps the cake rise and stay light.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Milk (1½ cups): Adds moisture and creates a smooth batter.
- Eggs (2 large): Helps bind the ingredients and adds structure.
- Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): Enhances the overall flavor.
- Unsalted butter (½ cup, melted): Adds richness and keeps the cake soft.
Cinnamon Topping
- Unsalted butter (¾ cup, softened): Forms the base of the cinnamon topping. See How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- Light brown sugar (1 cup, packed): Adds sweetness and that classic caramel-like flavor.
- All-purpose flour (2 tablespoons): Helps thicken the topping slightly.
- Ground cinnamon (1 tablespoon): Brings that warm cinnamon roll flavor.
Glaze
- Powdered sugar (2 cups, sifted): Creates a smooth and sweet glaze.
- Milk (5 tablespoons): Thins the glaze to the perfect consistency.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds flavor to the glaze.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cake
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
BATTER. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, eggs, and vanilla together. Slowly stir in ½ cup melted butter and pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
In a medium bowl, mix ¾ cup softened butter, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon. Dollop the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the cake mixture evenly.
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.
BAKE. Bake for 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
GLAZE. Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Drizzle over the warm cinnamon roll cake.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Tender Cake: Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake light and soft.
- Cinnamon Swirl: Swirl gently so you keep defined ribbons of cinnamon throughout.
- Glaze: Drizzle glaze while warm so it soaks in slightly.
- Smooth Batter: Use room temperature ingredients for smoother mixing.
- Frosting: This recipe uses a glaze topping, but you can make a cream cheese frosting instead.
Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ 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.
Notes
- Tender Cake: Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake light and soft.
- Cinnamon Swirl: Swirl gently so you keep defined ribbons of cinnamon throughout.
- Glaze: Drizzle glaze while warm so it soaks in slightly.
- Smooth Batter: Use room temperature ingredients for smoother mixing.
- Frosting: This recipe uses a glaze topping, but you can make a cream cheese frosting instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
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 up to 3 months. Just reheat it in the oven for a few minutes to get warm before drizzling with the glaze.
Cool and cover with foil or saran wrap. Leave it on the counter for 3-4 days or wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months.
More Like This
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Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe
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Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
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Bisquick Coffee Cake
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Coffee Cake Muffins
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Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
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This recipe was originally published January 2013.
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!
LOL!! We love this recipe!! I’m glad you liked it!! Thanks for letting me know!
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.
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.
Oh, I’m so glad!! I’m sure you could make a lot more than you think!! Thanks for letting me know!
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?
I haven’t made this without the egg or using soy milk, but found a link that might be helpful for the egg allergy..http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/allergies/food-allergy/dairy-eggs-meat/substitute-for-eggs.htm. As for the soy, you could always test it out. I’d love to know how it turns out!! Hope this helps!
This is outstanding! Thank you for a keeper recipe.
SO glad you liked it. 😀
Yep it’s yummy
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.
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 🙂
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!
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. 🙂
I made this Saturday and it is amzaing! We love it. So much easier than making rolls. Thank you so much!
It’s definitely easier than normal Cinnamon Rolls. So glad you liked it!! Thanks for stopping by!