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Bake a soft and fluffy cinnamon bun cake with a sweet glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert—easy, cozy, and irresistible.
Know Before You Scroll
What You’ll Need
All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, cinnamon, powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, optional pinch of salt.
Flavor Profile
Soft, buttery vanilla cake with a gooey cinnamon swirl and a sweet cream cheese glaze that drips into every bite—like a cinnamon roll meets coffee cake.
Difficulty Level
Easy. If you can swirl batter with a spoon, you can totally handle this one.
Equipment Needed
Mixing bowls, whisk, hand or stand mixer, spatula, knife or skewer for swirling, 9×13-inch baking pan, parchment paper.
Top Tip
Don’t overmix the cake batter—this keeps the crumb soft and tender.
Make Ahead
Bake the cake a day ahead, store covered at room temp, and drizzle glaze just before serving for the freshest look.
Ingredient Swaps
No buttermilk? Mix regular milk with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes.
All the Swirls, None of the Waiting
My son’s favorite dessert is hands-down cinnamon rolls, but let’s be honest—there isn’t always time to make them from scratch. I tried a few different versions of cake for this cinnamon bun cake—some came out too dry, some too flat, and some just didn’t have that gooey swirl moment I wanted. Then I thought, why not start with my tried-and-true NJ crumb cake base? It never fails me, and once I layered in the brown sugar and cinnamon ribbons, it finally clicked. Soft, fluffy, perfectly sweet—basically the shortcut cinnamon roll cake of my dreams.
Ingredient Notes
Dry Ingredients
Best Choice
All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine table salt.
Substitutions
Cake flour can be used for an even lighter texture, but avoid bread flour—it’s too heavy. Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable, so stick with the exact amounts listed.
Wet Ingredients
Best Choice
Unsalted butter (Not European style butter – see notes below), granulated sugar, large eggs, buttermilk, and pure vanilla extract.
Substitutions
Salted butter works if you reduce the added salt. For buttermilk, make your own with milk + vinegar or lemon juice. Vanilla bean paste or imitation vanilla can be swapped in a pinch. Flax eggs can stand in for real eggs, though the cake will be less fluffy.
Cinnamon Swirl
Best Choice
Softened butter, light brown sugar (packed), a touch of flour, and ground cinnamon.
Substitutions
Dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor. Pumpkin pie spice can replace cinnamon for a warm twist.
Cream Cheese Glaze
Best Choice
Full-fat cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a tiny pinch of salt to balance sweetness.
Substitutions
Neufchâtel cheese works for a lighter option. Any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy) is fine.
A Quick Note for Non-U.S. Kitchens
We thoroughly test our recipes, and during testing in both the UK and Europe we noticed that the cinnamon swirl often sinks to the bottom of the cake. Honestly? It still tastes amazing — like a gooey cinnamon-sugar layer baked right into the base. If you’d prefer a swirl that stays more evenly marbled, try making the mixture with just cinnamon and sugar instead of butter. Both versions are completely delicious — it just depends if you’re after gooey pockets of cinnamon or a more even swirl throughout.
You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.
Step By Step Instructions
1
Preheat & Prep
start by preheating the oven to 350°F/175°C and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 and a half cups of flour, three-quarters teaspoon baking powder, one and a half teaspoons baking soda, and three-quarters teaspoon salt. Just a quick whisk to combine.
3
Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat one cup plus two tablespoons softened butter with 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. This is what makes the cake so soft and rich.
4
Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Crack in 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Then add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for that cozy flavor.
5
Combine Wet and Dry
Now alternate adding your dry ingredients and 1 and three-quarters cups buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry mix. Stir gently—just until combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose that fluffy texture.
6
Combine Wet and Dry
Now alternate adding your dry ingredients and 1 and three-quarters cups buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry mix. Stir gently—just until combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose that fluffy texture.
Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan. It’s thick and dreamy already.
7
Make the Make the Cinnamon Mixture
In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon until smooth.
7
Make the Cinnamon Swirl
Drop spoonfuls over the batter and swirl it into the top half with a knife or skewer. Think gooey, marbled ribbons of cinnamon sugar.
8
Bake the Cake
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Your kitchen is going to smell like a bakery.
9
Make the Cream Cheese Glaze
Beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese until smooth, then whisk in 1 and three-quarters cups powdered sugar, a quarter cup milk, and a teaspoon of vanilla. Add a pinch of salt if you like, and adjust with more milk or sugar until it’s pourable and silky.
10
Drizzle and Serve
Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake for that melty effect, or wait until it cools a bit for beautiful ribbons. Slice it up, and you’ve got all the cinnamon roll vibes in cake form.
Cinnamon Favorites
Recipe
Cinnamon Bun Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter ((2 sticks + tablespoons), softened)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1¾ cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Swirl
- 16 tablespoons butter ((2 sticks), softened)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk (adjust as needed for drizzling consistency)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt (optional to balance sweetness)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Make the Cake Batter:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry mix. Mix just until combined—don’t overmix!
- Pour batter into the pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Make the Cinnamon Swirl:
- In a small bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable.
- Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture over the batter, then swirl with a knife or skewer to marble it into the top half of the batter.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
Make the Cream Cheese Glaze:
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt if using, whisking until pourable and silky. Adjust with more milk or sugar to reach your ideal drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over warm cake—right out of the oven for a melty effect, or wait until slightly cooled for defined ribbons.
Tips
Erren’s Top Tips
- Room Temperature is Key: Make sure your butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature. They’ll mix more smoothly, and your cake will bake up light and fluffy.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once the dry and wet ingredients are combined, stop mixing. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes the cake dense instead of tender.
- Swirl Gently, Not Deeply: When adding the cinnamon swirl, only marble the top half of the batter. This keeps it from sinking straight to the bottom.
- Use the Toothpick Test Wisely: Look for a few moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick, not a completely dry pick. That’s how you know your cake is perfectly baked.
- For a Clean Slice: Let the glaze set for 10–15 minutes before cutting, or chill briefly. It’ll slice neatly without dragging the glaze.
Storage & Freezing
- Room Temperature: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. The glaze will soak in a bit, making the cake extra moist.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
- Freezing: Slice the cake into squares, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm slightly in the microwave or oven before serving.
- Glaze Note: If freezing, consider glazing after thawing for the prettiest presentation.
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FAQs
Why did my cinnamon swirl sink to the bottom?
Butter and flour can behave differently depending brand or where you live. In countries outside the US, butter usually has a higher fat content and less water than American butter, which makes the cinnamon swirl mixture heavier. That extra richness can cause the swirl to sink toward the bottom. If you’d like a swirl that stays more evenly marbled, try using just cinnamon and sugar instead of butter. Both versions taste amazing — one gives you gooey pockets of cinnamon, the other a more even swirl.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cake a day in advance and drizzle the glaze just before serving. This keeps the glaze fresh and pretty.
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