Description
This Cinnamon Roll Cake is a delightful twist on classic cinnamon rolls, featuring a moist cake base swirled with a sweet cinnamon filling and topped with a smooth glaze. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert and easy to prepare in a single baking pan.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour (320g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar (266g)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted (170g)
- ¾ cup whole milk (180mL)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (110g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (56g)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1½ tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a 13×9-inch baking pan with baking spray to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add granulated sugar, melted butter, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together until the batter is smooth and well combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Prepare the Cinnamon Filling: In a small bowl, mix light brown sugar, softened butter, flour, and ground cinnamon until fully combined to form a spreadable mixture.
- Add and Swirl the Filling: Drop small dollops (about 1 teaspoon each) of the cinnamon filling over the cake batter in the pan. Using the tip of a butter knife or skewer, gently swirl the filling into the batter creating a marbled cinnamon effect without overmixing.
- Bake the Cake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until the center springs back lightly when pressed and the edges turn golden brown. Keep a close eye during the last few minutes to avoid overbaking.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes to allow the cake to set and flavors to meld.
- Prepare the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze the Cake: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm cake. Allow it to cool further before slicing and serving for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Dollop size matters: keep cinnamon filling dollops about 1 teaspoon to prevent them from sinking and creating craters in the cake.
- Don’t overbake: remove the cake as soon as it’s done to maintain a moist, tender crumb similar to a cinnamon roll center.
- Rest before slicing: let the cake cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan to make slicing easier and cleaner.
- Swirl gently: use a skewer or knife to create a marbled effect without overmixing the cinnamon filling into the batter.
- Alternative topping: for a classic cinnamon roll finish, replace the glaze with cream cheese frosting after the cake has cooled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
