Cinnamon Roll Cake tastes just as good as the bread — and is easy to make. Buttery brown sugar and cinnamon is swirled into a moist vanilla cake and topped with a sweet glaze.

A fluffy vanilla cake filled with cinnamon swirls just like a cinnamon roll.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cinnamon Rolls in cake form? It almost seems too good to be true! I have actually made a pumpkin cinnamon roll cake before, but I’m keeping it classic and sharing this simple cinnamon roll cake recipe with you.

It has that yummy buttery brown sugar and cinnamon swirl we all love inside of a fluffy vanilla cake. The quick glaze on top can be drizzled or spread. You could even switch it out for cream cheese frosting, if you wanted to.

Recipe Testing

I tested this cinnamon roll cake 5 TIMES before I felt like the recipe was exactly how I wanted it. This might sound picky, but it was for good reason. I wasted my ingredients, so you don’t have to.

The most popular recipe floating around online, that seems to appear on every blog — just isn’t good. It dotes that it’s super easy because you mix the cake batter all at once, add the cinnamon filling, swirl it up, and bake.

Unless you’re using a boxed mix with oil (not butter), that is just not how a cake is meant to be mixed. The cake wasn’t fluffy or moist, and the cinnamon-sugar sunk to the bottom. No thank you.

Top view of swirled cinnamon roll cake with a vanilla glaze drizzled over the top.

The BEST Cinnamon Roll Cake

The batter needed to be thicker so the cinnamon sugar didn’t sink to the bottom. And since it is a butter-based cake, it needed to be mixed properly — creaming the butter and sugar, and alternating the wet and dry ingredients, to prevent a tough/dense cake.

Even the cinnamon filling was tested with soft vs melted butter, with or without flour added, to ensure it was evenly distributed and didn’t sink to the bottom.

My final results constituted a fluffy, moist cake, with cinnamon-sugar swirled into every bite. Perfection!

I’m confident that this is the best cinnamon roll cake recipe, and it’s still easy to make. I’ll even show you how with step-by-step photos below.

Fork full of cinnamon roll cake ready to be eaten.

For the Cake Batter

For this cinnamon roll cake, you will make two different components and swirl them together. First make the cake batter.

NOTE: The full recipe and instructions are in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
Steps to make vanilla cake batter.
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Mix together completely, scraping the bowl as needed.
  3. Add half of the dry ingredients. Mix on low until just incorporated.
  4. Add all of the milk. Mix on low until just incorporated.
  5. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix on low until just incorporated. Do not over-mix.
  6. The batter will be thick, but smooth.

For the Cinnamon Filling

Next make the second component, the cinnamon filling.

Steps to make cinnamon filling.
  • Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
  • Stir together completely. Mixture should be thin and runny.

NOTE: Do not let the filling cool and thicken, or it will be hard to swirl with the cake batter.

Assembling the Cinnamon Roll Cake

Steps to swirl cinnamon roll cake.
  • Spread the cake batter into a 13×9-inch pan that has been greased with cooking spray. (I like the kind with flour in it.)
  • Spoon the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the cake, including close to the edges, leaving some cake batter showing.
  • Use the tip of a butter knife to swirl the two mixtures together.
  • Bake the cinnamon roll cake at 350˚F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Top view of swirled cinnamon roll cake with a vanilla glaze drizzled over the top.
  • Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk for the glaze. Drizzle or pour glaze over the cake. Serve while still slightly warm.

This cake is best served warm. Cover the pan with foil and store any leftovers at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Nuke leftover slices individually in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Can I use a boxed cake mix?

Yes. If making a cake from scratch is outside of your wheelhouse, go ahead and use a boxed cake mix.

Any white, yellow, or vanilla cake would work well for this cinnamon roll cake. Mix the cake according to the directions on the box. Then make the cinnamon filling, swirl it together with the cake batter, and bake the cake.

I hope you will give this recipe a try!

A fluffy vanilla cake filled with cinnamon swirls just like a cinnamon roll.

More Cinnamon Desserts

If you loved this cinnamon dessert, you might also want to try these recipes:

If You Make This Recipe, Please Rate and Review it in the Comments Below. THANKS!

A fluffy vanilla cake filled with cinnamon swirls just like a cinnamon roll.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 15 servings

A cinnamon roll inspired dessert with swirls of cinnamon-sugar inside of a fluffy and moist vanilla cake topped with a sweet glaze.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk, room temperature

Cinnamon Filling:

  • 4 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, gently packed
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13x9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. (I like the kind with flour in it.) Set aside.
  2. CAKE: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Mix together completely, scraping the bowl as needed.
  5. Add half of the dry ingredients. Mix on low until just incorporated.
  6. Add all of the milk. Mix on low until just incorporated.
  7. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix on low until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. The batter will be thick, but smooth.
  8. CINNAMON FILLING: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Stir together completely. Mixture should be thin and runny. NOTE: Do not let the filling cool and thicken, or it will be hard to swirl with the cake batter.
  9. Spread the cake batter into the prepared 13x9-inch pan. Spoon the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the cake, including close to the edges, leaving some cake batter showing. Use the tip of a butter knife to swirl the two mixtures together.
  10. Bake the cinnamon roll cake at 350˚F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 minutes.
  11. GLAZE: In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Drizzle or pour glaze over the cake. Serve while still slightly warm.

Notes

    • Room temperature ingredients are important for mixing the batter properly. Cold ingredients may curdle and won't mix completely.
    • This cake is best served warm. Cover the pan with foil and store any leftovers at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Nuke leftover slices individually in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 1gSugar: 28gProtein: 4g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and is an estimation only.