Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake

Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake is the perfect excuse to eat cake for breakfast! Three layers of buttery, cinnamon cake filled with cinnamon buttercream frosting and a sweet cinnamon glaze!

It’s that time of year where not only are we in the kitchen baking more, but it’s ALSO the time where SO many fantastic cookbooks are released. I will admit I am a junkie when it comes to cookbooks; I own well more than my fair share. And sure, sometimes I get a new book, flip through it a few times, and then it goes to live a long life on my cookbook shelf. It’s a tragedy. But then there are those books that you turn to time and time again…of course I hope MY BOOK is that for you.

Well, a few weeks ago I received Simply Beautiful Homemade Cakes by Lindsay Conchar. Lindsay is the talent behind the blog, Live, Love and Sugar. She makes some of the most delicious (and beautiful) cakes going right now. I have a strong suspicion that this book will be my GO-TO book when I need to make a cake.

MY OTHER RECIPES

Trying to narrow down a recipe that I wanted to share with you was nearly impossible…but alas I prevailed. It’s no secret I am a bit of a cinnamon roll junkie. I’ve made: Easy Cinnamon Roll Cake, Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake, Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Bake, Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls, Cinnamon Roll Cookie Bars…heck, I’ve even made a Cinnamon Roll MILKSHAKE!

So when I got to page 100, Lindsay’s Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake was the obvious choice.

Plus, cake for breakfast…you don’t have to twist my arm.

I will tell you this…I am NOT a great cake decorator…so I went at this knowing my cake wouldn’t be as pretty as the book photo. So know that if I can do this one, you can totally do it too. There isn’t much a simple frosting swirl and a sprinkle of cinnamon can’t make look delicious.

So let me talk you through the process…

The cake batter is really easy. I followed the book recipe step by step, except I went a little heavier on the cinnamon. I’m a rebel like that.

When the cakes are baking I made the cinnamon frosting. Again, I went a little heavier on the cinnamon…

Also note this recipe makes A TON of frosting. I consider myself to have a heavy hand when it comes to buttercream, and I still had a lot left. I am certainly not complaining, though! I am saving the extra for weekend cinnamon rolls!

A fun step in this recipe is the addition of a cinnamon glaze that you let soak into the cake. It really packs cinnamon flavor…

When the cakes are baked and cooled you can “level” them with a serrated knife to remove the domes. You do this so as you stack the layers they will be flat.

You spread the glaze right on the top of the cake and let it soak in which happens quickly, especially when you level it…

Now you just spread on some frosting…

And repeat!!

If you feel like getting fancy go ahead and use some of the extra frosting to pipe swirls on the tops and/or around the bottom of the cake.

I used Wilton Tip 1M and Wilton disposable piping bags.

Oh, and a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon to cover up my poor piping skills!

Of course now try a slice.

I can’t wait to bake my way through Simply Beautiful Cakes! Great job Lindsay!

Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Cookies & Cups
• Yield: serves 10

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Ingredients

Cake

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 6 large egg whites, divided
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup milk, room temperature
• 1/4 cup water, room temperature

Cinnamon Frosting

• 1 1/2 cups salted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening
• 12 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see note)
• 1/4 cup water or milk

Cinnamon Sugar Glaze

• 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water

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Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of 3 (8- inch) cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. (I used nonstick spray).
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add 3 of the egg whites and mix until well combined. Add the remaining 3 egg whites and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is combined.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl combine the milk and water. With the mixer on low speed add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix until combined. Add the milk mixture to the batter and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cake pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
5. Allow the cakes to cool 2-3 minutes in the pan and then remove them from the pans onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add in 6 cups of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon and water or milk and mix until smooth. Slowly add the remaining 6 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Cinnamon Sugar Glaze

1. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and water until smooth. Set aside.

Assembly

1. Use a large serrated knife to carefully remove any domes the cake formed when baking, so they’re flat. Place the first cake on a serving plate. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons of the glaze over the cake layer. All it to soak into the cake. Spread 1 cup of frosting onto the top of the cake. Repeat the process with the second layer of the cake, and then add the final layer of cake and frost as desired.

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Notes

In the cake I used 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
And in the frosting I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon, while the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon.

I had quite a bit of frosting leftover, which I am saving for my next batch of cinnamon rolls!

Helpful tip… out of sour cream?

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