Description
A quick and easy homemade version of the classic Cinnabon cinnamon roll, baked as a moist cake with a rich cream cheese icing. This recipe skips the kneading and shaping for a delicious, gooey dessert ready in under 30 minutes of active time.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter (softened for batter, melted for swirl)
- Granulated sugar
- Dark brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon (preferably Ceylon)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Whole milk
- Large eggs (room temperature)
- Vanilla extract
- Full-fat block cream cheese (softened)
- Confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
- Milk (for icing consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and milk.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into prepared dish and spread evenly.
- Mix softened butter and brown sugar until resembling wet sand, then sprinkle evenly over the batter.
- Optionally, drizzle remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and swirl with a knife for a spiral effect.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While baking, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and a splash of milk, beating until thick but pourable.
- Let cake cool for 5-10 minutes, then drizzle icing over the warm cake.
- Serve immediately while warm and gooey.
Notes
Ensure butter is softened but not melted for the best texture. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough cake. Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes before icing to allow the icing to set slightly without melting completely. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil and use dairy-free cream cheese.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 40
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
Keywords: cinnabon cake, cinnamon roll cake, copycat recipe, easy dessert, cream cheese icing, brunch recipe, homemade cinnamon rolls