Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake

This Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake is basically all the gooey, buttery, cinnamon-sugar goodness of traditional cinnamon rolls, but without the hassle of working with yeast or rolling dough. I'm talking about a cake that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when really, you just mixed, swirled, and baked.

There's this thing that happens every time my mom brings dessert to a family gathering. People hover around the dessert table, take one bite, and then immediately corner her for the recipe. Last Christmas? It happened three times before we even finished dinner!

I finally convinced her to share the recipe with me (took me two years, by the way), and now I make it at least twice a month. Emily asks for it every weekend, and honestly? I don't blame her one bit.

If you're looking for more weekend breakfast inspiration, check out my Sourdough French Toast that pairs perfectly with this cake for a brunch spread.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake
• Ingredients For Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake
• How To Make Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake
• Storage And Reheating Tips
• My Best Tips For This Breakfast Cake Recipe
• Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts On This Breakfast Cake
• Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Cake

Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake

Let me break down exactly why this cinnamon roll cake recipe is about to become your new go-to:

• No yeast required – Seriously, you can make this right now without waiting for dough to rise for two hours. It's ready in about 45 minutes from start to finish.
• Easier than traditional cinnamon rolls – No rolling, no cutting, no worrying about whether your rolls are the right size. Just pour, swirl, and bake.
• Feeds a crowd – This cinnamon roll sheet cake serves 12 people easily, which makes it perfect for holiday mornings or when you've got guests staying over.
• That signature cinnamon swirl – The brown sugar cinnamon layer creates these beautiful ribbons throughout the cake that look impressive but take zero skill to make.
• Sweet vanilla glaze on top – Because what's a cinnamon roll without that drizzle of icing? This glaze is simple but tastes just like what you'd get at the mall.
• Room temperature storage works – You don't have to refrigerate this right away, which means it's great for potlucks and brunch parties.

Ingredients For Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake

Here's what you'll need to make this easy cinnamon roll cake. I keep most of these ingredients stocked in my pantry anyway, so it's usually something I can whip up on a whim.

For The White Cake Layer:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup butter, melted

For The Cinnamon Layer:

• 1 cup butter, softened (not melted – this is important!)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For The Glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake

Making this homemade cinnamon roll cake is way easier than you'd think. I'm breaking it down into simple steps that anyone can follow.

Prepare Your Pan And Preheat

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan really well. I use butter for this because it adds a tiny bit of extra richness to the edges.

Mix The Cake Batter

2. Combine all the white cake layer ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk or electric mixer to blend everything together until you've got a smooth batter with no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick but still pourable.
3. Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Don't worry about making it perfect – it's going to get swirled anyway.

Create The Cinnamon Swirl

4. Mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until you get a thick, spreadable mixture. This is the magic that makes it taste like an actual cinnamon roll.
5. Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture all over the top of the cake batter. I usually do about 12-15 dollops spread out across the surface.
6. Use a butter knife to swirl the cinnamon mixture into the batter. Drag the knife through in figure-eight patterns or zigzag lines. The goal isn't to mix it in completely – you want those distinct cinnamon ribbons running through the cake.

Bake The Cake

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and the edges should be pulling away slightly from the pan.
8. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. This is when your kitchen will smell absolutely amazing, and Emily will magically appear asking when she can have a slice.

Make And Add The Glaze

9. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. If it's too thick, add a tiny bit more milk. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.
10. Drizzle the glaze all over the warm cake. I like to pour it right down the middle and then spread it out with the back of a spoon, but you can also just drizzle it in lines for that classic cinnamon roll look.

Storage And Reheating Tips

This gooey cinnamon roll cake stays fresh for a surprisingly long time, which is great because leftovers rarely last more than a day in my house anyway!

Room Temperature Storage: Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days. The cake actually stays super moist this way.

Refrigerator Storage: If you need to keep it longer, refrigerate it covered for up to 5 days. Just know that the glaze might firm up a bit when it's cold.

Reheating: Pop individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. It brings back that fresh-from-the-oven warmth and makes the cinnamon layer get all gooey again. Sometimes I reheat it even when it doesn't need it because warm cake is just better!

Freezing: You can freeze this cake (without the glaze) for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add the glaze after it comes to room temperature.

My Best Tips For This Breakfast Cake Recipe

I've made this cinnamon roll coffee cake enough times to know what works and what doesn't. Here's what I've learned:

• Don't skip softening the butter for the cinnamon layer. If you try to use melted butter, it'll just sink to the bottom instead of creating those pretty swirls.
• Swirl gently – You don't want to mix the cinnamon layer completely into the batter. Those distinct ribbons are what make this look and taste special.
• Add the glaze while the cake is still warm if you want it to soak in a bit. If you prefer a thicker glaze layer on top, let the cake cool completely first.
• Use room temperature eggs and milk for the smoothest batter. I usually just set them out while I'm getting my pan ready and measuring other ingredients.
• Make it extra special by adding a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon mixture. Emily's not a fan of nuts (texture thing), but guests love it.

Want to make it more like those mall cinnamon rolls? Add an extra tablespoon of cinnamon to the swirl mixture and maybe even throw in a quarter teaspoon of cardamom for that signature bakery flavor.

Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake FAQs

Recipes You May Like

If this Cinnabon cake is your kind of breakfast, you're going to want to check out these other morning favorites:

• Mini Blueberry Muffins – Perfect bite-sized breakfast treats that pair really well with this cake when you're hosting brunch.
• Pumpkin Spice Pancakes – Another quick breakfast that's packed with warm spices and takes less than 30 minutes.
• Baked Denver Omelet Casserole – For when you want something savory alongside your sweet cake at brunch.

Final Thoughts On This Breakfast Cake

This cinnamon roll cake from scratch has seriously changed my weekend breakfast game. It's become one of those recipes that I make without even looking at the measurements anymore (though I still do because baking requires precision, unlike cooking where you can just wing it).

What I love most about it is how it makes regular Saturday mornings feel a little bit special. Emily comes downstairs, smells the cinnamon and vanilla, and her whole face lights up. That's worth the 10 minutes of prep time right there.

The fact that it tastes just as good on day two means I can enjoy it throughout the weekend without feeling like I need to finish the whole pan in one sitting (though let's be honest, I could).

Give this best cinnamon roll cake recipe a try this weekend. Take a picture of that gorgeous cinnamon swirl when you cut into it, and don't forget to save it to Pinterest so you can make it again later!