Are you one of those folks whose eyes glaze over when you see a recipe that has more than 5 ingredients? You completely lose interest and skip on to the next one. Yeah, I know the feeling. It’s kinda how I felt about this one when I first saw this recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cake. But then I heard all the great reviews everyone was giving it and I knew I had to make it!
If you find yourself (1) with a giant cinnamon roll craving, (2) bored and looking for a fun baking project, and/or (3) in need of a FUN family-friendly breakfast, brunch, or dessert– I have just the recipe. I originally published this giant cinnamon roll cake several years ago and after making it 7,938x since then (approximation, of course), I decided to add some updates. It’s even better now!
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick) melted
FOR THE CINNAMON FILLING:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter softened to room temp
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
FOR THE GLAZE:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I like the kind that has flour in it.) In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), combine ingredients for cake (except melted butter).
While your mixer is running, slowly add the 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix just until combined (overmixing flour in baked goods can make it tough and rubbery.)
Spread this batter evenly into your baking dish.
FOR THE FILLING:
In a small bowl, combine all your filling ingredients: softened butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir until combined well.
Drop the cinnamon filling by spoonfuls onto the cake batter.
Take a butter knife and make swirly, marble-effect patterns all around the cake. Drag the knife through both the cinnamon and cake batter.
Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes (it took about 40 minutes in my oven), until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
FOR THE GLAZE:
Whisk together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in small bowl.
Pour the glaze over the warm cake.