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Better Cinnamon Roll Cake

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Better Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – my improved version of the cinnamon roll cake! It can’t be easier than this!

Better Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting crunchycreamysweet.com 682x1024 Better Cinnamon Roll Cake

This is the result of my improvement of one of the most popular recipes on this blog. The famous Cinnamon Roll Cake. A lot of you made it and loved it, some run into problems and some complained that there is too much butter involved. I promised to work on a lighter version and one that will be super easy to make.

BETTER CINNAMON ROLL CAKE

Less butter, easier and quicker to make, prettier but still absolutely delicious and fun!

Better Cinnamon Roll Cake @crunchycreamysw 682x1024 Better Cinnamon Roll Cake

This cake looks like a giant cinnamon roll. It takes your breath away as soon as it comes out of the oven. The filling creates crevices in the cake during baking, spreading the sweet cinnamon love over the top. Just look at this:

Cinnamon Roll Cake crunchycreamysweet.com 682x1024 Better Cinnamon Roll Cake

It takes only about 15 minutes to prep this beauty and only 30 to bake it. It requires less work than the original cake because the filling does not need to be whipped and then spread gently over the batter. All you need to do it drizzle it creating circles!

This version is much lighter too! I cut the amount of butter to only 1/4 of a cup!! The cake base has oil and buttermilk instead of butter and whole milk. It makes for a fluffy and moist cake that I will be using for other recipes for sure!

The filling is made in a small bowl in just seconds by whisking everything together. You swirl it over the cake batter in a circular motion and reserve almost half of it for drizzling after baking.

The cream cheese frosting is spread over a still warm cake. It’s the perfect finishing touch!

 

MORE DELICIOUS RECIPE:

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts (Baked) 

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Roll Pretzels

Follow crunchycreamysweet on Instagram and show us what recipes you are making from our blog! Use the hashtag #crunchycreamysweet! We would love to see what’s happening in your kitchen!

BETTER CINNAMON ROLL CAKE RECIPE:

4.5 from 4 votes
Better20Cinnamon20Roll20Cake20@crunchycreamysw111 150x150 Better Cinnamon Roll Cake
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Better Cinnamon Roll Cake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Better Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting - my improved version of the cinnamon roll cake! It can't be easier than this! Recipe source: CrunchyCreamySweet.com
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cinnamon roll cake
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 280 kcal
Author: Anna
Ingredients
for the cake:
  • 1 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or almond extract
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
for the filling:
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
for the glaze:
  • 3 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or almond extract
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease and flour a 9" deep dish pie pan or a 9" round cake pan. Set aside.
to make the cake:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda.
  2. In another mixing bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, vanilla and oil.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Set aside.
to make the filling:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, flour and vanilla. Using a small spoon, drizzle the filling over the batter in a circular motion (simply create circles), starting from the outside. You should have about half of the filling mixture left.
  2. Bake the cake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
  3. Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wooden cutting board. Drizzle the remaining filling over the filling crevices that were created during baking.
  4. Let the cake cool, while you make the glaze.
to make the glaze/frosting:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk cream cheese, milk and vanilla. Add sifted powdered sugar until the frosting reaches a thick yet drizzling consistency.
  2. Using the back of the spoon or an offset spatula, spread the glaze over the warm cake in a circular motion.
  3. Let cool to room temperature.
  4. Serve.
Nutrition Facts
Better Cinnamon Roll Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 280 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 261mg11%
Potassium 66mg2%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Sugar 28g31%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 385IU8%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marina says

    This looks delicious! Can I substitute 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce for the 1/4 cup of oil in the cake batter?

    Reply

  2. Tara says

    I baked this today and it turned out awesome! I will say, in a 9-inch DARK nonstick pan, it was WAY done in 25 minutes… Probably could’ve done like 20-22 minutes. Thank you for the awesome recipe!

    Reply

  3. Angelina says

    I baked this cake today and it’s definitely yummy 😋.
    Made two small changes, I halved the recipe, baked in a small round pan also with a spatula folded the dry and wet ingredients together. My results tender, moist, not overly sweet and perfectly cinnamon flavor!

    Many thanks for a splendid recipe, I will make again!🙂

    Reply

  4. Linda says

    I make the traditional Cinnamon Roll Cake all the time, and I was skeptical of this recipe. I just made it, and it’s great. The recipe is perfect as is, but I used 1/2 Stevia and sugar in the cake to carve off a few more calories. I also did not have cream cheese, but leaving it out didn’t bother me. I use a 8″ Square Pyrex Dish to get 9 servings under 200 calories each, calculated using Loseit.com. This will now be my “go-to” recipe.

    Reply

  5. Michelle says

    I made a loaf instead of the roll and added pudding to the recipe of the cake. It turned out to be quite tasty and I have to say that it gives the cake a richness with out being heavy.. 😃
    Going to make it For Thanksgiving 😍

    Reply

  6. kristen says

    In the directions for the filling…it says to whisk together “melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, flour and vanilla.”….however there’s no vanilla listed in the filling ingredient section of the recipe?! HELP!

    Reply

  7. ninette says

    Can I bake this Cinnamon roll cake and serve it the next day.I will keep it outside cover.And if I glaze it adding a cream cheese do I have to refrigerate it.

    Reply

    • [email protected] says

      Hi Ninette! You can definitely bake it a day ahead. If you make a cream cheese glaze, it is recommended to refrigerate the cake. Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes. Have a beautiful day! -Anna

      Reply

  8. Abbey says

    I’m planning on trying this cake but I have to say as a former professional cook I object to the idea of uncooked flour being used in the filling which is then drizzled on the cooked cake. Other than that this looks delicious and with the exclusion of the raw flour I can see that this cake is going to be delicious!

    Reply

  9. Alexandra says

    Do you think this cake could hold up to being stacked and layered with cream cheese frosting? Someone requested a birthday cake “as close to a cinnamon roll as possible” and this cake looks like it would be absolutely perfect (and so delicious)! I’m thinking of making 3 8-inch layers and frosting the whole cake with a whipped cream cheese frosting. Do you think the cake itself is sturdy enough to hold up to that? Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • [email protected] says

      Hi Alexandra! First of all, I totally LOVE your idea! I need to see your cake so please, send me a photo or tag me on Instagram or FB!
      Second, yes! I actually did use this cake recipe to make a layer cake (just without the cinnamon filling drizzle). If you are making three layers without slicing them in half, it will be a tall cake. Maybe make two layers and slice them in half ? Either way, I’d love to see it! Happy Baking and thank you for the comment! 😀 -Anna

      Reply

      • Alexandra says

        Thank you so much Anna! I’m happy you like my idea 🙂 I will most definitely tag you on Instagram when I make it this weekend! One last question, do you think if I bake and assemble the cake on Saturday night, it would still be okay to be served Sunday afternoon? I know fresh is always better, but the cake will need to hold up for a good 12 hours. I’m definitely excited to make this!

        Reply

  10. Miranda says

    This cake is gorgeous! I love that you made a lighter version. Some of us are trying to maintain over the winter months. lol I have got to pin this big beauty!

    Reply

  15. Stacy says

    Gorgeous, Anna! Just look at that delectable crumb! Buttermilk is definitely the key for a moist, tender crumb in cakes and coffee cakes. Love that cinnamon swirl, too. 🙂 Bravo! Pinning (of course!). Thanks for sharing, my friend, and I hope you are having a wonderful Valentine’s Day weekend! xo

    Reply

  16. Ashley says

    Haha, I have never complained there was too much butter! That cake is one of our favorites! Can’t wait to try this lighter version 🙂 Pinned!

    Reply

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