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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This recipe was originally published January 2013.
If a recipe calls for baking powder and salt then the flour is all purpose. Self rising already has those ingredients in it.. If you’d like to substitute self rising for all purpose omit the baking powder and salt.
My family loved it, but it took almost 20 extra minutes to cook through. It’s very sweet and rich.
Wonderful recipe! I take it! I love cinnamon! 🙂
So I made the cake and it is VERY good! Perfect with a hot cup of coffee. I made a couple of mistakes – 1) of adding one too many Tablespoons of cinnamon, but really, I love cinnamon so it was a good mistake (lol) and 2) I didn’t measure the powdered sugar – tried eyeballing the two cups, but clearly it wasn’t enough. The glaze wasn’t thick enough like your photo but i think its still amazing.
This one is a keeper.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Getting ready to make this today. Questions: 1) reading comments, so me are saying “don’t over swirl” what does that mean?? 2) in measuring flour I typically use a spoon to scoop the floor into a measuring cup – should I do same for this recipe or do you just put your measuring cup straight in a scoop up – I think it makes a slight diff ??
Has anyone tried cutting back on the sugar and buttuer? If so, what amounts did you use?
Thanks – this is worth trying for sure since I LOVE cinnamon rolls! Will post when its all done!
Did it twice in 4 days…… Enough said hahaha. Everyone LOVES IT! I took it out of the oven 2 hours ago and im afraid its not gonna last through the night!
Great recipe! A billion stars!!!
Hi I was wondering if you could substitute the butter with margarine. I can’t wait to make this! It looks so yummy!! 🙂
I tried it with margarine and didn’t like it that much….
This looks easy enough to make. Will give it a try and pinning it.
I was wondering do you use self rising or plain flour. I think someone already asked this question , but did not see the answer. Can’t wait to fix this 🙂
Regular flour 🙂
ive never seen regular flour … here where i live there is only plain and selfrising