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This extra sweet breakfast recipe is a family FAVORITE!!

Imagine Homemade Cinnamon Rolls in cake form. Sounds amazing, right? It really is. Our kids clean the pan every time we whip this up.

If you’re looking for a shortcut, this recipe is it! It has all of the delicious flavors of cinnamon rolls but in a fraction of the time (only 40 minutes from start to finish!). It is pretty much on repeat at our house as a go-to breakfast – and dessert.

And if you like this, you’ll love our Cinnamon Roll Bites and Easy Coffee Cake Recipe.

Why we think you’ll love it:

  • Next level delicious. With loads of butter, cinnamon, glaze, and flavor, this recipe always gets rave reviews!
  • Great for holidays. Make it for special mornings, like Christmas, or a lazy Sunday morning.
  • Extra simple. Just mix, dollop, swirl, and bake. This easy cake comes together in no time – it’s ready in only 40 minutes.

Cinnamon Roll Cake Ingredients and Substitutions

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour – see How to Measure Flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
  • 1½ cups milk
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted or salted butter
  • optional mix-ins – raisins or chopped nuts

Cinnamon Topping

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened – see How to Soften Butter Quickly
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 5 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cake

  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 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.
  3. BAKE. Bake for 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  4. GLAZE. Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Drizzle over the warm cake.
A slice of cinnamon roll cake served on a white plate.
5 from 219 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.

Recipe FAQ

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 up to 3 months. Just reheat it in the oven for a few minutes to get warm before drizzling with the glaze.

How to store?

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.

This recipe was originally published January 2013.

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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5 from 219 votes (78 ratings without comment)

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383 Comments

  1. Janice says:

    5 stars
    Oh, my goodness!! I baked this late this morning. I ate this for lunch instead of the gumbo I prepared for today. My taste buds were excited – cake and cinnamon rolls all in one!!!! After reading the reviews the other night, I was a little concerned about over swirling and too much butter. Everything came out perfect! I didn’t have any problems. My family enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      I’m so glad it turned out perfect. We made it this week too and I couldn’t stop eating it – it is seriously SOOO addictive!

  2. Theresa says:

    5 stars
    I tried this for the first time (of many to come) this morning. I split it into two 8″ pans, one for breakfast and one for my husband’s work potluck. It was so delicious, the second pan barely made it to work! 🙂

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Hahaha!! Glad it was a hit! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  3. maria says:

    Looks so good! What size pan and is glass better than a metal pan?

  4. Tricia O. says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is divine! The cake is so soft and buttery and with just the perfect amount of cinnamon! I cannot thank you enough for the recipe! I added a few tablespoons of cream cheese to the frosting for an added bonus flavor! Yum!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Yay! So glad you like it. And you definitely can’t go wrong adding some cream cheese – YUM!!

  5. Teri says:

    5 stars
    Made this tonight & omg it is so good!!! I did have to cook about 10 minutes longer & it could have bern over stirring with the knife but otherwise best cake!! So moist & so yummy!! Thank you!!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Hi Teri! I made it last night too, and it was gone in minutes! So glad you guys liked it. Thank you for stopping by. 🙂

  6. lani says:

    5 stars
    Ok…your pictures are awesome! So much so, that I got up and made this dish this morning for my boys! SCORE! Loved it! Thanks for posting. This one made my SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS board on #pinterest! =)

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      YAY!! SO glad you liked the cake. I hope it quickly becomes a family favorite! With all that better, how could it now? 😉

  7. Patty Bixby says:

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Love this site

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Thank you so much, Patty!