How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cake (Best Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe 2026)

If you love the warm, gooey, cinnamon-sugar flavor of a freshly baked cinnamon roll but don’t want to deal with yeast, proofing dough, or hours of work, this cinnamon roll cake recipe is the answer to everything. Made in a simple 9×13 baking dish with no yeast required, this cake delivers every single thing you love about a cinnamon roll — the buttery swirl, the soft tender crumb, the sticky cinnamon-sugar filling, and the creamy glaze drizzled on top — in under an hour from start to finish.

What Is Cinnamon Roll Cake & Why You’ll Love It

Cinnamon roll cake is a no-yeast sheet cake that captures every flavor and texture element of a classic cinnamon roll but bakes up in one simple pan without any kneading, proofing, or dough shaping required. A soft vanilla cake batter is poured into a baking dish, topped with a thick paste of softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then swirled with a knife to create gorgeous ribbons of cinnamon-sugar running through every slice.

According to King Arthur Baking, melted butter and yogurt (or sour cream) in the batter are the secrets to an exceptionally tender, moist cake crumb that truly mirrors the soft, pillowy texture of a classic cinnamon roll without any yeast or waiting. The cinnamon swirl topping caramelizes slightly during baking, creating pockets of gooey, sticky cinnamon-sugar that melt into every bite exactly the way a bakery cinnamon roll does.

This cake is a genuine crowd-pleaser for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or an afternoon coffee break. It comes together with basic pantry staples in under 10 minutes of prep time and tastes even better slightly warm — drizzled generously with vanilla icing or cream cheese frosting right out of the oven.

Key Benefits:

• No yeast, no proofing — all the cinnamon roll flavor with none of the dough-making complexity
• Ready in under 1 hour — 10 minutes prep, 35–45 minutes baking, done
• Made in one pan — minimal cleanup, no fancy equipment required
• Perfect for brunch or dessert — works equally well as a breakfast cake or after-dinner dessert
• Freezer-friendly — bakes and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months
• Feeds a crowd — a 9×13 pan cuts into 12–16 generous squares

🍳 Equipment You’ll Need (4 Items)

• 9×13 inch baking dish (the standard size that gives the perfect cake depth and even baking for this recipe)
• Large mixing bowl (for combining the cake batter — a wide bowl makes folding in butter much easier)
• Hand mixer or stand mixer (for beating the batter to the right smooth, lump-free consistency)
• Butter knife or skewer (for swirling the cinnamon topping into the batter — the key decorative step)

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cake (Best Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe 2026)

Recipe by Marco BenilliCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

Total time

50

minutes

An easy no-yeast cinnamon roll cake baked in one 9×13 pan with a buttery cinnamon swirl running through every slice and finished with a creamy vanilla or cream cheese glaze. All the flavor of a classic cinnamon roll in under 1 hour — no kneading, no proofing, no fuss.

Ingredients

• 🎂 Vanilla Cake Batter:

• 300g (2½ cups) all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 240ml (1 cup) sour cream or plain yogurt

• 120ml (½ cup) whole milk

• 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 🌀 Cinnamon Swirl Topping:

• 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened (not melted)

• 200g (1 cup) brown sugar, packed

• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

• Pinch of salt

• 🍦 Vanilla Glaze:

• 240g (2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted

• 3–4 tbsp whole milk

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 🧀 Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional Upgrade):

• 115g (4oz) cream cheese, softened

• 60g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened

• 240g (2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 2–3 tbsp whole milk (to adjust consistency)

Directions

• Cinnamon Swirl Topping:
• In a small bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt together until a thick paste forms. Set aside at room temperature.
• Cake Batter:
• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish generously with butter or non-stick spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, sour cream, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined — do not overmix.
• Pour batter evenly into prepared baking dish and spread to the edges.
• Swirling & Baking:
• Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon topping evenly across the entire surface of the batter.
• Using a butter knife or skewer, swirl the topping into the batter with 8–10 gentle figure-eight motions. Do not over-swirl — you want visible ribbons of cinnamon, not a fully mixed batter.
• Bake for 35–42 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the very center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
• Glaze:
• Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable.
• Drizzle glaze generously over the warm cake, allowing it to melt slightly into the swirls.
• Slice into squares and serve warm.

Recipe Video

Notes

• Use softened butter for the swirl, not melted — softened butter creates a thick paste that stays on top of the batter and swirls properly; melted butter sinks and pools at the bottom
• Don’t over-swirl — 8–10 gentle swirls is all you need; over-swirling creates a uniformly brown cake instead of beautiful cinnamon ribbons
• Use sour cream or yogurt — this is the secret to the moist, tender crumb that mirrors a real cinnamon roll; never substitute with plain milk alone
• Pour glaze while still warm — drizzling glaze over a warm cake lets it melt slightly into the swirls for that authentic gooey cinnamon roll finish

Cinnamon Roll Cake Variations (5 Ways)

The Cream Cheese Frosting variation is the most indulgent and crowd-pleasing — the tangy cream cheese cuts beautifully through the sweetness of the cinnamon swirl. The Box Mix Shortcut is the fastest and most foolproof option for beginner bakers.

What To Serve With Cinnamon Roll Cake (Perfect Pairings)

Cinnamon roll cake is warm, sweet, and rich — so it pairs best with drinks and sides that are either light and fresh or boldly complementary.

🥗 Food and Dessert Pairings:

• Fresh fruit salad — a bowl of mixed berries or sliced strawberries cuts through the sweetness and adds a refreshing contrast
• Scrambled eggs and bacon — turns this cake into the centerpiece of a full brunch spread
• Graduation cake — for a big celebration brunch or dessert table, pair with our Graduation Cake for a complete sweet spread
• Waldorf Salad — for an elegant brunch table, serve our Waldorf Salad Recipe alongside for a beautiful savory-sweet balance
• Rotisserie chicken salad sandwiches — our Rotisserie Chicken Salad Recipe makes the perfect savory companion for a brunch or party buffet

🥛 Beverages:

• Hot coffee or espresso — the classic pairing; the bitterness of coffee balances the sweetness of cinnamon cake perfectly
• Cold brew iced coffee — for warm weather brunches, iced coffee alongside warm cinnamon roll cake is an unbeatable combination
• Warm chai latte — the spiced chai mirrors the cinnamon warmth and creates a cozy, cohesive flavor pairing

Expert Tips for Perfect Cinnamon Roll Cake

✅ Don’t over-swirl the cinnamon topping — you want distinct ribbons of cinnamon running through the batter, not a fully mixed brown cake; 8–10 gentle swirls with a knife is all you need

✅ Use softened butter for the swirl, not melted — softened butter creates a thick, paste-like cinnamon mixture that dollops onto the batter properly; melted butter will just sink and pool

✅ Use sour cream or yogurt in the batter — this is the secret to an exceptionally moist, tender crumb that stays soft for days; don’t substitute with regular milk

✅ Pour glaze on while still warm — drizzling the vanilla icing or cream cheese frosting over a slightly warm cake allows it to melt slightly into the swirls for that authentic gooey cinnamon roll finish

✅ Test for doneness with a toothpick in the center — the center of this cake takes longest to set; insert a toothpick in the very middle and bake until it comes out clean with no wet batter

✅ Grease the pan generously — this cake has a high sugar content in the swirl which can stick; butter the pan thoroughly or use parchment for clean removal

✅ Serve warm for best flavor — cinnamon roll cake is at its absolute best within the first 30 minutes of baking while the swirl is still gooey and the glaze is freshly set

Storage Instructions

Reheating tip: Microwave individual slices for 15–20 seconds to restore that fresh-from-the-oven warmth and gooey swirl — this is genuinely the best way to enjoy leftover cinnamon roll cake the next morning with a cup of coffee.

Nutrition Per Serving (Approximate)

Based on 12 servings from a 9×13 pan with vanilla glaze

Cinnamon Roll Cake Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Do I need yeast for cinnamon roll cake?
No — that’s the entire point of this recipe. Cinnamon roll cake uses baking powder as the leavening agent, which means there is absolutely no yeast, no proofing, and no waiting involved. You get all the flavor of a cinnamon roll in a fraction of the time.

❓ What is the difference between cinnamon roll cake and coffee cake?
They are very similar but have a key difference. Coffee cake typically has a crumble streusel topping and does not have a glaze or frosting. Cinnamon roll cake has a swirled cinnamon-butter filling running through the batter and is finished with a vanilla icing or cream cheese glaze — much closer to the flavor of an actual cinnamon roll.

❓ Can I make cinnamon roll cake the night before?
Yes — bake the cake the night before and store covered at room temperature. Wait to add the glaze or cream cheese frosting until just before serving so it stays fresh and doesn’t soak in too much overnight. Warm individual slices in the microwave for 15–20 seconds before serving.

❓ Can I use a box cake mix for this recipe?
Yes — a yellow box cake mix works beautifully as the base. Replace the homemade batter with the box mix combined with eggs, oil, and sour cream as directed on the package, then add the cinnamon swirl topping exactly the same way as the scratch version.

❓ Can I make cinnamon roll cake gluten-free?
You can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour with generally good results. The texture may be slightly denser but the flavor remains excellent. Do not use almond or coconut flour as direct substitutes — they require different ratios and will not work in this recipe.