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 Bites
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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.
Are we able to use self rising flour?
I personally haven’t tried, but it should be ok 🙂
This cake was divine! Everyone loved it. It was a mix between a streusel cakE and a cinnamon roll but way easier than all the rolling out anx waiting for them to rise. I coukd eat this everyday!
I agree..way easier, but just as good! Thank you so much!
Very delicious! Easy to makE! It was perfect! I wanted cinnamon rolls but didn’t feel like spending the time to make them.
This is a great option! I am glad you liked it!
Delicious and loved by all!
Makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you for trying them & letting me know!
Oooooh.. My love for cinnamon! WIll definitely try this recipe!!!! Thanks for sharing. Keep posting more cinnamon cake! 🙂
I will 🙂 I’d love to know what you think, if you give it a try!
Mexican chicken and corn soup sounds simply delish. Can’t wait to try on a cool fall evening.
Thanks!! They definitely are a cool night!
This was very easy to prepare but the glaze is more like a buttercream or a icing texture. I followed the direction and I just want to know if it’s supposed to never like that.
It’s supposed to be more like a glaze, not thick. I would add more milk until it’s the right consistency. Hope that helps!
I have made this recipe for years now and we love it so much! Everyone I’ve given it to loves it as well. However, I came back to this recipe today and I can’t seem to find the flour measurement in the cake recipe! Did it just disappear? Is it just me?! Is it 3 cups? You’d think I’d have it memorized by now, I’ve made it so often. I’m going to just guess and use 3 cups and hope it’s the correct amount!
Hi there.
I have my little boy’s 2nd birthday this sunday and want to move away from traditional birthday cake. Want to make brownie muffins, and something cinnamonny.
Do you think your cinnamon roll cake will work if I make it in the shape of cupcakes? I’m sure I’ll need to adjust the bake time? I’m going to give it a try… Holding thumbs it’s going to work!
If by any chance you see this before saturday, please give me some tips.
Thanks!
How did they turn out? I hope they were good! I haven’t tried these as cupcakes, so I’d love to know!
It was quite an adventure… the paper cupcake cups made it hard to swirl the cinnamon mix in properly so it bubbled out while baking – causing a lot of smoke. LOL. After that the papers were stuck to the cake and I let them sit overnight and managed to remove the paper cups the following day. Apart from that they tasted great!
Next time I won’t use paper cups!
Thanks everyone loved them!
Well, I guess we know now 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know! Glad everyone loved them!
Okay, this is my first ever feedback for a recipe, but this recipe deserves it. It is a total understatement to say this cake is delicious. I served it yesterday at a get together, and it was a landslide smash hit. I got sooooo many positive responses it was unbelievable (even from the pickiest dessert eaters). All I could hear once it was served was children chanting “this is, yummy this is yummy.” One boy said to his mom, “this is the best cake I ever had in my life.” It goes without saying that I will make it every chance I get. So easy (I screwed up several steps while rushing and still turned out to be gold). Thanks for this awesome recipe 🙂
That makes me so happy to hear! It is always a hit! I am so glad you tried it! Thank you for letting me know!