Easy Cinnamon Roll Cake is absolute perfection. It’s simple to make, crazy delicious loaded with cinnamon sugar and covered in sweet icing!
This cinnamon roll cake recipe is easily a favorite in my house. I actually thought I had shared the recipe for this cake a long time ago…turns out I didn’t. You see when you bake as often as I do things get jumbled. Maybe it’s all the sugar? Nah…
Anyhow, this is the world’s easiest cake. My kids even request it for their birthday cake which seems so weird to me…hello no buttercream…but we all know kids are weird. Or maybe they aren’t…this cake is that good.
Yes, my cake mix-phobic friends I short-cutted this. I know, I know, you are all probably so disappointed in me. I am always looking for doctored up yellow cake mix recipes, and this cinnamon roll cake is the perfect example of when it’s RIGHT to use a cake mix. But yes please, if you would like to use your own cake recipe please do so. Just start the recipe when you add cinnamon sugar…I’ll explain that in a minute.
But first let’s take a look…the gooey cake, the drippy icing, the swirly cinnamon.
Hold me.
How to make Easy Cinnamon Roll Cake
Like I said the cinnamon roll cake itself it super duper easy. You’re basically doctoring up a cake mix a little bit.
THEN you make a little (a lot) of cinnamon sugar.
You sprinkle that all over the top of the batter…
And gently swirl that in with a knife…
Don’t over swirl it though. You don’t want to mix it all in, you want gorgeous ribbons of cinnamon throughout.
Bake it up and it behold…
And then make a quick icing and behold again…
Your cake will be drowning in icing and loving every minute.
And if you can, wait until the icing sets up to cut it…
Or don’t. I get you.
Make it. Eat it. Love it.
This Easy Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe will quickly become a favorite in your house!
PrintEasy Cinnamon Roll Cake
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Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 20 minutes
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Total Time: 30 minutes
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Yield: serves 10 1x -
Category: Cake
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Method: Baking
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Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time:
Yield:
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Print Recipe
PinDescription:
This recipe is one of the most requested cake recipes in my house. My family loves it!
Ingredients:
- 1 (15.25- ounce) box yellow cake mix
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream (not light)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Coat a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, vanilla and sour cream. Mix on low for 30 seconds and then raise the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Spread the cake batter into your prepared pan. In a medium bowl whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this evenly on top of your cake.
- Using a butter knife gently swirl the cinnamon sugar into the cake batter. Don’t over-swirl, as you want ribbons of the mixture throughout the cake.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool cake for 15-20 minutes.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Pour this over the slightly warm cake. Allow the icing to set, or eat right away!
Notes:
Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Keywords:: cake, yellow cake mix, cinnamon roll, breakfast
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Helpful tip… Out of sour cream? Here’s a sour cream substitute!
Hi! I’m Shelly and I’m an addict. Of the buttercream sort. I started this site a few years ago as a way to justify my sugary, buttery obsession with desserts. It has worked out well for me so far, because as it turns out you guys all love sugary, buttery desserts too! It feels good to know you're not alone, doesn’t it?
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This is probably the 4th time I’ve made this cake but today I added frozen blueberries to the batter. Holy cow it’s the best version yet! The original is super delicious as well but I highly recommend trying it with blueberries! Thanks for the recipe!!!!!
★★★★★
What a great idea!!
Sooo good and easy! Didn’t have sour cream, so added some milk and it still tasted amazing.
★★★★★
Was ok. Have made other variations of a similar cake. The cake tasted like box cake. Was not sure the brand of box cake to use…Duncan Hines is what I purchased. Would taste better making a simple yellow cake from scratch.
★★★
In your opinion,,,,Can I poke some holes in the cake before putting the icing on the cake so some of the icing drips into the cake?
sure!!
Just made your cake this evening and boy is it delicious! The only thing I did differently was to cut the icing in half. Was afraid it would be to sweet for my liking and am glad I did. Definitely a keeper though, can think of many friends and family that would enjoy this cake. Will make an excellent breakfast cake also. Thanks
★★★★★
Substituted the brown sugar for brown coconut sugar. It’s in the oven now and can’t wait to eat it! Smells amazing!!!
★★★★★
Hi, made the cake and got rave reviews. But was wondering if this could be made into cupcakes. If so do I follow same directions and just swirl cinnamon sugar in the cupcake pan or just swirl batter into bowl and pour directly into cupcake pan?
I’ve never made this into cupcakes, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! I would probably first try swirling it into the cupcake pans. If that gets too messy you could definitely swirl it into the batter too. You just might not get as distinct “ribbons” of swirl! It’ll taste great though!
Is it just as good without the icing?
Any experience subbing non-dairy milk such as oat or almond? No allergies here, just don’t tend to keep “real” milk in the house usually.
Hi! We make this cake with oat milk and sub out the sour cream for dairy free yogurt since we have a milk protein allergy in the family. It is so good and only lasts a day or two in our house.
★★★★★
This cake sounds delicious. Can it be frozen after it is baked? I belong to a group of ladies who cook for a Ronald McDonald House and we like to make things to stock the freezer so staff can pull out to prepare a quick meal.
yes it absolutely can be frozen!
This cake looks delicious! Can you use extra virgin olive oil in place of vegetable oil?
Wow, was this awesome! Everyone loved it, and it was so easy. The only thing I did differently was to add chopped pecans on top of the frosting before it dried. Thanks for what will be a family favorite recipe!
★★★★★
Delicious! I made a half recipe and baked it in an 11 x 7 pan for 25 min. It came out moist and tender, absolutely perfect! I can’t wait to make it for my son and his family next time they come over. The only thing I did differently was poke holes into the cake with the handle end of a wooden spoon so the icing could run down inside, too. Yum.
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing your experience halving the recipe!!
Can this recipe be doubled. I need to make a half sheet cake.
yes!
Thank you!
Can you make this without the sour cream?
You can sub in yogurt for the sour cream, but for this recipe you will need to use it!