Hey guys- I’m back with something really yummy today! This Cinnamon Roll Cake recipe will have you coming back for more, and it’s super easy to pull together.
I love cinnamon rolls, but I don’t always have the time or energy to make a batch. This cake version is super simple, and it comes together much faster than a classic cinnamon roll, but has all the same yummy flavors. You’ll love how easy this is- let’s get to it!
How to Make This Easy Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe
We’re starting off with a simple vanilla cake batter. Mine can be mixed entirely by hand and it uses simple ingredients. We’re starting off by mixing together the melted butter, oil, and sugar until combined. Add in your egg and mix through. Then we’re adding in the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in alternating additions until everything is smooth.
This recipe uses buttermilk, which helps keep the cake extra soft and fluffy, and the addition of just a little bit of oil helps keep the cake moist.
Once the batter is all ready to go, we’re starting on the filling. You want to use super soft butter here so that the filling has a texture that is easy to swirl into your cake batter!
Then it’s off to the oven. While your cake bakes, you’ll notice that while it will still rise like a normal cake, you may see some divots and sinking bits where the filling is- that’s ok! You shouldn’t end up with any huge craters in your cake but just some soft bits where the filling might be- it’s super yummy.
Finally, this cake is topped with a simple sour cream icing that I love. It’s a little easier to pull together a sour cream icing than a classic cream cheese icing, but it has a similar tangy result that’s super addictive. Hope you guys love this one!
Tips & Tricks for This Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe
This recipe is simple to make and I have tips & tricks to help you along the way!
- What if I don’t have buttermilk? You can substitute whole milk with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice added instead of buttermilk in this recipe. You just want to be sure you are using 1 cup total milk here.
- Mix the batter by hand using a spatula, Danish dough hook, or a whisk. Since the batter can be mixed by hand, it’s a great way to ensure that you don’t over-mix the batter.
- Use very soft butter for the filling to get a soft texture that swirls into your batter well. The butter should be very soft, verging on melted before you mix everything together for the filling mixture.
- Take your time swirling in the filling to ensure that it’s well distributed across the entire batter. You don’t want to have huge globs in just a few places- you want it to be swirled all over the top so it bakes evenly.
- How do I know when my cake is finished baking? Your cake should be risen and set, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out mostly clean. The top should be a light golden brown all over.
- I am at about 5,000 ft above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.
Hope you guys enjoy this one!
Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 tbs. canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup very soft butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
For the icing:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 2 tbs. sour cream
- 1-2 tsp. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cake:
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease an 8 inch round or square cake pan generously.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, and canola oil until well combined. Whisk in the egg until just combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
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Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and stir until just mixed through. Add in about 1/2 of the milk mixture, and stir to combined. Repeat this alternating mixing until all of the milk and all of the flour mixture have been added and mixed through. Pour your batter into your prepared cake pan and set aside while you make the filling.
For the filling:
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Stir together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Dollop the filling mixture all over the top of the cake batter in your pan, and use a toothpick to swirl the filling gently into the cake batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Cool the cake for 5-10 minutes before icing it.
For the icing:
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Whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until a smooth, thick icing has formed. Add more milk if needed to thin the icing, but it should be fairly thick and drizzle-able. Drizzle the icing all over the top of the warm cake, and enjoy it warm.
Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!
Instead if Canola Oil can I use Olive or Avocado Oil?
Hi there- yes you can sub this out, although with olive oil it may affect the taste slightly.
delicious ! Tastes like warm, melt in the mouth cinnamon rolls with half the work! Thanks for the great recipe.
Yay so glad to hear you loved it!
This was absolutely amazing! I made as directed, and it was the lightest, fluffiest cake ever!
Yay, so glad to hear you liked it!!
If I double the recipe and bake in a 9×13, about how long would it need to bake for?