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.
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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.
i have tried this recipe before and it comes out to be the bestest one going to amke this again this weekend thanks for sharing such good recipe 🙂
You are so welcome! I am glad to share! It’s one of our favorites!
I am planning on using just the cinnamon topping with my own personal vanilla cake recipe. I hope it turns out well!! Will update tonight
The cinnamon topping was perfect, I didn’t even use half of it for my cake. I used my own personal vanilla cake recipe and then I drizzled a little of the cinnamon topping for each round cake and then swirled it. It did require my cake to cook a little longer, as some of the comments mentioned, but not enough to make me believe that my cake would burn. Thank you so much for this <3
You are so welcome! Thank you for sharing what you did 🙂
This is an amazing recipe, I love it, i have MADE it twice & everyone in my family Loved it?
Awe, I am so glad your family loves it! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Good grief Is this ever good!!!!!
LOL..thank you & yes!!
Amazing – KIDDOS & HUsbanh love this incredIble cake!!! Will be baking this one often! Thank you gor sharing! Yummy!
You are so welcome!! I am glad they all like it! Thank you so much for letting me know!
ooohhhh…..yum!
WOW!!! THis cake is AMAZING. SO GOOD, BEST EATEN WARM BUT WARMS UP WELL THE NEXT DAY TOO. A KEEPER FOR SURE. THANKS!
Glad it’s a keeper!! Thank you so much!!
This combines two of my favorite desserts into one- soooo yummy!
thank you so much for this delicious recipe. Cooked in glass pirex 9×13 cake dish for 33 minutes @ 350 in regular oven not convection, used margarine instead of butter because it’s what I had & it still turned out awesome!
Yay!! Glad you liked it 🙂 Thank you for letting me know & for trying it!
I love this Easy recipe and the kids love it too. I have made this a few times Since it comes together so qUickly. It is so nice Served warm with a tall glass of milk. It was an Easy, sweet addition to our christmas brunch spread. I had a craving for something Sweet and warm lAst Night and whipped this up and enjoyed a little with my family before bedtime. I just shared the recipe with my friend and figured i would stop and rate/review the recipe since i use it often enough. Thank you!
I appreciate that!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 🙂 I am so glad you like it, as much as we do!