This irresistible Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting delivers all the comfort of classic cinnamon rolls in half the time. Ready in just 50 minutes, this luscious dessert combines buttery cake swirls with warm cinnamon and a silky cream cheese topping. Perfect for busy mornings or special brunches, it offers the same beloved flavors without the lengthy process of traditional yeast rolls. Each slice provides the ideal balance of tender cake and sweet, tangy frosting that your family will absolutely adore.
Essential Ingredients
- Cake Base: 1½ cups flour (all-purpose or cake), ½ cup sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt – sift together for best results
- Wet Ingredients: ¾ cup milk, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ¼ cup melted butter – room temperature ingredients work best
- Cinnamon Swirl: ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp flour, 1 Tbsp cinnamon – mix until smooth and creamy
- Cream Cheese Frosting: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp butter, 4 oz cream cheese, 1-2 Tbsp milk, ½ tsp vanilla – ensure ingredients are softened
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preparation: Heat oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8″ baking dish thoroughly
- Base Mixture: Combine dry ingredients, then mix in wet ingredients until just blended – avoid overmixing for tender cake
- Cinnamon Layer: Create swirl mixture by combining butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon until smooth
- Assembly: Pour cake batter into pan, drop cinnamon mixture by spoonfuls, then create beautiful swirls with a knife
- Baking: Bake 30-37 minutes until toothpick comes out clean from center
- Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter, add remaining ingredients until smooth, then drizzle over warm cake
- Serving: Best enjoyed while still warm, perfect for sharing with loved ones
Cooking Tips
The key to perfect swirls in this cinnamon roll cake is all about technique! When you’re adding the cinnamon mixture, drop small spoonfuls evenly across the surface. Then, use your knife like an artist’s brush – make gentle figure-8 patterns through the batter. Don’t over-swirl, or you’ll lose those beautiful cinnamon ripples that make every bite special.
Make it Your Own
Want to switch things up? Try adding chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon swirl mixture for extra crunch. You can also use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for an even softer texture. If you’re out of brown sugar, white sugar with a touch of maple syrup works great in the cinnamon swirl too!
Serving Ideas
This cake shines brightest when it’s still warm from the oven! Serve it for a cozy weekend breakfast with hot coffee or tea. For an extra special dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side – it melts perfectly into the warm cake and cream cheese frosting. Your family will love gathering around for this treat!
Storage Tips
While this cake is best enjoyed fresh and warm, you can keep any leftovers in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or pop it in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, warm individual pieces in the microwave for 15-20 seconds – it’ll taste almost like it’s fresh from the oven!
Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 8×8 baking dish
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup butter melted
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8” baking dish.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, egg and vanilla. Stir in melted butter. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Make the cinnamon swirl topping by combing all ingredients together until smooth.
- Drop small spoonfuls of the mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter. Use a knife to swirl through the cake and disperse the mixture throughout the cake batter.
- Bake 30-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Drizzle cream cheese frosting over warm cake. Serve warm.
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a smooth, soft frosting. Drizzle frosting over the cake with a spoon, or use a ziplock bag and snip a hole out of one of the corners to pipe the frosting on.
