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Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cinnamon roll cake baked as a golden sheet cake with deep cinnamon-brown sugar swirls baked throughout, then finished with a glossy cream cheese glaze poured while warm. This easy cinnamon roll cake recipe delivers tender cake with ribbon-like centers and a warm, pooled glaze texture in every crevice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup butter melted
For the cinnamon swirl
  • 1 cup butter softened (for the swirl)
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
For the cream cheese glaze
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 5 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prepare the cake base
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish, so the batter releases cleanly after baking.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt, then stir in whole milk, large eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter until just combined.
  3. Spread the batter into the prepared dish, smoothing the top into an even layer.
Make and add the cinnamon swirl
  1. Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until fluffy, creating a spreadable swirl mixture.
  2. Drop spoonfuls of the swirl mixture over the batter, then use a knife to swirl into the batter for ribbon-like pockets.
Bake
  1. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden.
Glaze and serve
  1. While the cake is still warm, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pour the glaze over the warm cake.
  2. Let the glaze soak in for 5 minutes before serving warm, letting it pool into every swirl and crevice.

Notes

For the deepest swirl effect, swirl the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture right up to the edges of the pan so the ribbons bake through the entire cake. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; rewarm individual slices for 15–20 seconds for a looser glaze texture. Freezing is not recommended because the cream cheese glaze can soften and change texture. For a dairy-light option, use lactose-free milk and lactose-free cream cheese in the glaze.