Cinnamon Swirl Cake
Warm, buttery, and swirled with rich cinnamon sugar, this cozy cinnamon cake tastes just like a homemade cinnamon roll — without all the extra work. Finished with a sweet vanilla glaze, it's the perfect comforting bake for brunch, holidays, or slow weekend mornings.
Prep time
15 min
Cook time
28–32 min
Serves
12–15 servings
Ingredients
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Cake
- 3 cupsall-purpose flour
- ¼ tspsalt
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 4 tspbaking powder
- 1½ cupsmilk
- 2eggs
- 2 tspvanilla extract
- ½ cupbutter, melted
Cinnamon Swirl Topping
- 1 cupbutter, softened
- 1 cupbrown sugar
- 2 tbspflour
- 1 tbspcinnamon
Vanilla Glaze
- 2 cupspowdered sugar
- 6–7 tbspmilk, or enough to create a smooth pourable glaze
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cupsall-purpose flour
- ¼ tspsalt
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 4 tspbaking powder
- 1½ cupsmilk
- 2eggs
- 2 tspvanilla extract
- ½ cupbutter, melted
Cinnamon Swirl Topping
- 1 cupbutter, softened
- 1 cupbrown sugar
- 2 tbspflour
- 1 tbspcinnamon
Vanilla Glaze
- 2 cupspowdered sugar
- 6–7 tbspmilk, or enough to create a smooth pourable glaze
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
- 3
Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- 4
Slowly stir in the melted butter until smooth. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- 5
In a separate bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until fully combined.
- 6
Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture evenly over the cake batter. Using a knife, gently swirl the topping throughout the batter to create a marbled cinnamon effect.
- 7
Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- 8
While the cake cools slightly, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth and pourable.
- 9
Drizzle the glaze generously over the warm cake before serving.
Melissa's Notes
This cake is best served slightly warm for that fresh cinnamon roll flavour and texture. For extra richness, try adding a splash of vanilla to the glaze. A butter knife works perfectly for creating soft cinnamon swirls throughout the cake. Serve with coffee or chai tea for the ultimate cozy treat.
Nutrition Information
Per serving — based on 15 servings
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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