Cinnamon Roll Cake. Also known in our house as “crack cake”. Listen I don’t care what your planning on baking for Thanksgiving this week–pie, cookies, trifle, cobbler, whatever–I don’t care. Yeah I know you’re in the middle of making your massive grocery list but whatever dessert you have on it, scratch it off. You will likely already have all the ingredients needed for this cake and this cake is what you want to make. Trust me on this.
I had never even heard of Cinnamon Roll Cake until my good friend Nicole (who also happens to be a FABULOUS baker) told me she had went to a recipe exchange and someone brought this cake. When she showed me the recipe, it looked so easy I had to try it right away. Luckily we had a bonfire we were going to this past Friday so it was the perfect excuse to make it. I had it done in no time and was taking it out of the oven, piping hot, pouring the glaze all over it and breathing in the delicious aroma of what smelled just like yummy cinnamon rolls. Now whoever wrote the recipe said they preferred to eat it while it was still warm, so of course we took their advice! And it was indeed delicious. Very much like a warm cinnamon roll in cake form. However, after letting it cool for several hours, something magical happens after all the glaze has soaked into the dense cake and the cinnamon-brown sugar swirl has turned super gooey and decadent. The cake itself is not overly sweet which is nice because it balances out the sweetness of the swirl and glaze perfectly. I’m telling you, it was amazing!!! Jeremy and I agreed that we liked it warm but LOVED it cold/room temperature and both agreed that we can never be left alone with this cake in the house. It’s so, SO good. Totally addicting. Yeah, like crack. Seriously, make this for your Thanksgiving dinner! People will rave.
Enjoy!
- 3 c. All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ t. Salt
- 1 c. Sugar
- 4 t. Baking Powder
- 1½ c. Whole Milk
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ c. Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 c. Unsalted Butter, softened (I just popped mine in the microwave for about 20 seconds)
- 1 c. Light Brown Sugar
- 2 T. All-Purpose Flour
- 1 T. Cinnamon
- 2½ c. Powdered Sugar
- 5 T. Whole Milk or Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2½ T. Pure Vanilla Extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9x13 pan.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Slowly beat in the milk, eggs (one at a time) and vanilla. With mixer on low, slowly pour in the melted butter. Mix for a couple of minutes on medium speed until all ingredients are well combined. Pour into pan.
- Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop by spoonfuls over cake and then swirl gently with a knife. Bake for 32-35 minutes (mine took 35), until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. While the cake is still warm, slice into pieces and drizzle the glaze (instructions below) all over the cake. Eat warm or at room temperature (which is what we prefer!).
- Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
