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Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 111 reviews
  • Author: lilan
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 1 9-inch round cinnamon roll cake, serves 8-10 1x

Description

This Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake is a soft, tender, and beautifully swirled yeast-risen dessert, perfect for sharing. Featuring a rich cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with a smooth vanilla icing, this cake combines the best elements of classic cinnamon rolls in a convenient cake form. The dough is kneaded to perfection, allowed to rise, then shaped and baked into a stunning spiral cake that’s golden, soft, and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 2 and 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 and 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star (1 standard packet)
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
  • 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons; 56g) unsalted butter
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

Filling Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar or granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Icing Ingredients

  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl and set aside. Heat the milk and butter in the microwave until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm (100-110°F / 38-43°C). Pour the warm milk mixture into the dry ingredients, add the egg, and mix with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand until a soft dough forms. If sticky, add 2-4 tablespoons of extra flour gradually, keeping the dough soft.
  2. Knead the dough: Knead the dough in the mixer for 5 more minutes or on a floured surface by hand for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add small amounts of flour if overly sticky, but do not over-flour. Perform the windowpane test to ensure the dough is well kneaded.
  3. Rest the dough: Form the dough into a ball and cover with a clean towel, foil, or plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature in a warm place.
  4. Prepare the filling: After resting, roll the dough into a 15×12-inch rectangle using a rolling pin. Evenly spread the softened butter over the dough. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.
  5. Shape the cinnamon roll cake: Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or pie dish. Cut the dough into six 2-inch wide strips using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Roll one strip tightly and place in the center of the pan. Coil remaining strips around it, each starting at the previous strip’s end, forming one large spiral. Sprinkle any loose filling over the top.
  6. Proof the dough: Loosely cover the shaped cake with foil or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size. For cold environments, use an oven heated to 150°F (66°C), turned off, to create a warm proofing spot.
  7. Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. If top edges brown too quickly, tent with foil. During baking, if parts rise unevenly, gently press down with a spatula to even out the surface, then return to bake.
  8. Cool and make icing: Remove cake from oven and cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract together to make icing. Adjust consistency by adding more sugar for thickness or milk for thinness.
  9. Serve: Drizzle icing over the warm cake. Best enjoyed the same day but can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not dry. Avoid adding too much flour.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for best dough activation.
  • The windowpane test ensures proper gluten development for soft, airy texture.
  • Rising times may vary depending on room temperature; use the oven proofing trick in cold climates.
  • Sprinkle any spilled filling on top before baking to avoid waste.
  • Press down spikes forming during baking to help the cake bake evenly.
  • The cake is best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated up to 4 days.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert, Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: giant cinnamon roll cake, cinnamon cake, yeast cinnamon roll, breakfast cake, cinnamon sugar dessert, homemade cinnamon roll

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Find it online: https://cooklilan.com/giant-cinnamon-roll-cake-recipe/