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Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake With Cream Cheese Icing

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Finally, a cake that looks like a cinnamon roll and tastes like a cinnamon roll! This cinnamon roll cake is a single-layer moist and tender vanilla cake with a beautiful swirl of cinnamon sugar baked inside. It is covered with a tangy cream cheese glaze to perfectly complement the warmth of cinnamon. It is ready in under an hour, and the perfect snacking cake to serve with tea or coffee.

A slice of glazed cinnamon roll cake with cinnamon filling sits on a white scalloped plate next to a gold fork, with cinnamon sticks in the background.

3 quick components

This recipe needs 3 simple components that take 15 minutes to prepare:

  1. Vanilla cake batter. The base is the moistest, softest vanilla cake you'll ever have! It's a very quick one-bowl cake made with oil, heavy cream, buttermilk and water to make it as moist as possible
  2. Cinnamon sugar swirl. Just like actual cinnamon rolls, this cake has a beautiful cinnamon sugar swirl in it! A mixture of cinnamon, sugar and butter is piped directly onto the cake batter before baking, giving the cake the signature look. While baking, this mixture sinks into the cake batter, creating delectable pockets of cinnamon throughout
  3. Cream cheese icing. After baking, the cake is topped with a simple cream cheese icing made with cream cheese, butter, cream and powdered sugar. I also love this cake with a coffee icing instead of a cream cheese icing, just like the one I use in my coffee cake with coffee!
A round, golden-brown cake on a white plate, with a cinnamo sugar swirl in it. The background is a light-colored surface with a white cloth partially visible.

Step by step photos

Let's quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything:

A clear glass bowl containing wet ingredients and sugar on a dark wooden surface, with the ingredients not yet mixed together.
For the cake, add the wet ingredients and sugar to a bowl.
A glass bowl filled with a smooth, yellow liquid mixture sits on a wooden surface. Small bubbles are visible on the surface of the mixture.
Whisk until combined and no lumps remain.
A glass bowl containing a mixture of flour and liquid ingredients, likely for baking, sits on a wooden surface. The flour is piled on top of the wet mixture, not yet stirred in.
Sift in the dry ingredients.
A glass bowl filled with smooth, light brown batter sits on a wooden surface. A metal whisk with a copper handle rests in the mixture, showing signs of recent stirring. Batter is clinging to the sides of the bowl.
Slowly and gently whisk until the dry ingredients are just combined.
A glass bowl on a wooden surface holds a mixture of brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter, ready to be mixed for baking.
Add the melted butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt to a bowl.
A glass bowl filled with a thick, dark brown mixture sits on a wooden surface. A metal spoon is partially submerged in the mixture, which appears to be in the process of being stirred.
Stir until a sandy mixture forms, and transfer to a piping bag.
A round metal cake pan filled with smooth, light yellow cake batter sits on a dark wooden surface. The batter appears evenly spread and ready for baking.
Pour the cake batter into a 9" springform pan (regular pan will work, too)
A round cake pan filled with light-colored batter, topped with a dark brown cinnamon sugar spiral swirl, sitting on a wooden surface.
Pipe a swirl of the cinnamon sugar mixture directly onto the cake batter.

Place the cake in the oven, and prepare the cream cheese icing in the meantime by combining all ingredients. Let the cake cool down, then cover with cream cheese icing and serve!

A round cake with white icing, partially sliced, on a white plate. A cake server is lifting one triangular slice, showing the moist texture and smooth glaze on top.

Zoha's Pro Tips

Here are some helpful tips for you to perfect this cinnamon roll cake:

  • Use a weighing scale for accuracy! This is especially important for the dry ingredients like flour - it's easy to stuff too much into measuring cups, leading to a dry texture
  • Don't overmix the cake batter. Use a whisk and gentle mixing motions after adding the dry ingredients, and mix only until there are no lumps remaining. Overmixing can develop too much gluten and make the cake rubbery
  • Line your pan with parchment paper. This cake is very moist and can stick to the pan without parchment paper. Cut a circle and place it on the bottom, then brush a thin layer of oil or baking spray on the bottom and sides
  • Make a small hole in the piping bag. I recommend a ¼" snip at the tip of the piping bag. This will give you more control as you pipe the swirl in the cake batter
  • Don't over-bake. The cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with light, moist crumbs. If it's completely clean, you have slightly over-baked the cake!
  • Let the cake cool before handling. This cake is moist and soft, making it very delicate. Make sure it cools for at least 20 minutes in the pan before removing and covering with the cream cheese icing
Three slices of cinnamon roll stacked on each other, showing a cinnamon swirl layer inside and a light glaze drizzled on top. The cake appears moist and golden with a tender crumb.
Print
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A round cake with white icing, partially sliced, on a white plate. A cake server is lifting one triangular slice, showing the moist texture and smooth glaze on top.

Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake With Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

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  • Author: Zoha Malik
  • Total Time: 1 hour (with cooling time)
  • Yield: 10 servings
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Description

A cake that looks and tastes like a cinnamon roll, with a beautiful cinnamon sugar swirl and cream cheese icing on top!

Ingredients

Cake batter:

  • 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar (266g)
  • ⅔ cup vegetable oil (150g)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream (80g)
  • ¼ cup buttermilk (60g) - make your own by combining ¼ cup whole milk and 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • ¼ cup boiling water (60g)
  • 1 ⅔ cups all purpose flour (217g)
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt

Cinnamon sugar swirl:

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (56g)
  • ½ cup brown sugar, tightly packed (100g)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

Cream cheese icing:

  • 3 oz cream cheese, room temperature (85g)
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (42g)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (60g)
  • ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar (100g)

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F (conventional, no fan) and line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and oil / baking spray
  2. For the cake, start by adding the sugar, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla bean pasta, heavy cream, buttermilk and boiling water to a bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients until combined and smooth
  3. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Use the same whisk to mix the ingredients slowly and gently, until the flour is just combined and no lumps remain. Do not overmix the batter
  4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan
  5. Make the cinnamon sugar mixture by mixing together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until a sandy mixture forms (there shouldn't be any lumps of sugar). Transfer the mixture into a piping bag, and snip the tip (about ¼" wide cut)
  6. Carefully pipe a swirl of the cinnamon sugar mixture directly onto the cake batter in the springform pan, giving it the look of a cinnamon roll. You can go over on spots if needed, and try to use up all of the cinnamon sugar mixture
  7. Carefully lift the pan and place it in the pre-heated oven to bake for 32-35 minutes, until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with light, moist crumbs on it. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes
  8. In the meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese icing. Add the cream cheese, melted butter, heavy cream and vanilla to a bowl, and mix until combined and no lumps remain (you can do this by hand or use a hand mixer). Sift in the powdered sugar and mix to combine
  9. Carefully remove the cake from the springform pan and transfer it to your serving stand. Pour the cream cheese icing on top of the cake and spread it out - the warmth of the cake will allow it to spread easily and drip down the sides
  10. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Video Tutorial:

Notes

  • Make ahead and storage: You can prepare this cake 1 day in advance, and keep it covered at room temperature. After serving, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. It's best enjoyed at room temperature
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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