This cinnamon roll cake is so good and super easy to make! This giant cinnamon roll drizzled with cream cheese frosting will wow your party guests. Gooey, warm and just like the cinnamon rolls you know and love but giant!
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A giant cinnamon roll shaped like a cake. What else can a cinnamon roll lover ask for? This cake is warm, gooey, and full of cinnamon, butter and brown sugar. It’s drizzled with cream cheese frosting and it’s served in thick, huge slices. Can we please just substitute all birthday cakes for this from now on?
I love that this recipe stays true to its name. It’s a cinnamon roll but shaped and baked in a cake pan. It’s perfect to make for breakfast or brunch. It’s also perfect for families where little ones might not want a full roll for themselves so now you can give them a thin slice instead of having to eat the rest of their roll.
Also, if you have never baked with yeast before this is the perfect recipe to get you started. Trust me when I say this is pretty much foolproof. Even if you don't like baking, even if you never made cinnamon rolls before and even if your rolling abilities are subpar, this will come out. Like magic, but tastier.
What you need to make a cinnamon roll cake
- Milk
- Eggs
- Butter
- Flour
- Sugar
- Instant yeast
Secrets to make the BEST giant cinnamon roll
If you want you cinnamon roll cake to be super soft and gooey there are a couple things you should know:
- Let the dough rest for 30 minutes after kneading and mixing: This relaxes the gluten in the dough, which basically means your dough will be softer and therefore easier to roll out
- After shaping your roll, let it rise for 1 to 2 hours: Your dough should look puffy and should also double in bulk (this depends on how warm your home is so don’t worry if yours rised a bit less). This time is what makes your cinnamon roll be light and airy after baked so definitely don’t skip this step!
Cinnamon Roll Cake
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 cup milk lukewarm
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon instant yeast
Filling:
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Drizzle:
- 6 tablespoons cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all the cinnamon roll dough ingredients until a smooth, soft dough is formed.
- Turn the dough into a ball, cover, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle. Start filling it: Evenly spread the cinnamon roll dough with the softened butter. Sprinkle it with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Using a knife, slice the dough into 6 strips. Roll up 1 strip and place it in the center of a greased round pan, coiling the remaining 5 strips one next to each other. It should look like a giant cinnamon roll.
- Cover the cake and allow it to rise for 1-2 hours until it’s doubled in size and puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- While the roll is baking, prepare the drizzle. In a bowl beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. If it’s too thick add 2 tablespoon milk.
- Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle with the cream cheese frosting while warm.
Notes
- Let the dough rest for 30 minutes after kneading and mixing: This relaxes the gluten in the dough, which basically means your dough will be softer and therefore easier to roll out
- After shaping your roll, let it rise for 1 to 2 hours: Your dough should look puffy and should also double in bulk (this depends on how warm your home is so don’t worry if yours rises a bit less). This time is what makes your cinnamon roll be light and airy after baked so definitely don’t skip this step!
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