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Cinnamon swirl cake is like a cinnamon roll in cake form. Sweet cinnamon crumble swirled through a white cake and topped with luscious cream cheese frosting. To die for.
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Cinnamon Roll in Cake Form
Hey there, fellow dessert lovers! If you’re anything like me, you get those cravings for warm, gooey cinnamon rolls but don’t always have the time (or patience) to make them from scratch. That’s where this Cinnamon Swirl Cake comes in—it’s everything you love about a cinnamon roll, packed into a soft, moist cake that’s ridiculously easy to whip up. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be hooked!
My family absolutely loves this cake. It’s a staple at our weekend gatherings, and I can’t even count how many times I’ve caught someone sneaking an extra slice when they thought no one was looking. The warm, cinnamon aroma fills the house, making it impossible to resist. It’s one of those desserts that disappears quickly because everyone keeps going back for more!
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Swirl Cake
This cake is like a warm hug in dessert form. It’s super simple to make, bursting with cinnamon flavor, and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting that’s downright irresistible. The best part? It’s ready in no time, so you can satisfy your cinnamon roll cravings without the wait.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- White cake mix (or yellow/vanilla, if you prefer)
- Eggs, vegetable oil, and water (as per the cake mix instructions)
- Ground cinnamon (or more if you’re a cinnamon fanatic)
- Graham cracker crumbs (crushed finely)
- Melted butter
- Brown sugar (for that rich, caramelized flavor)
- Optional: Chopped walnuts or pecans for an extra crunch
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream cheese (softened)
- Butter (softened)
- Vanilla extract (or a splash of almond extract for a twist)
- Powdered sugar (sifted for smoothness)
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- Prepare the Cake Mix: Follow the instructions on the box to make the batter. Pour half of it into a greased or parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Make the Cinnamon Swirl: In a bowl, mix together the cinnamon, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until crumbly.
- Swirl It Up: Sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture over the batter. Use a butter knife to gently swirl it through the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top, then repeat the swirl with the rest of the cinnamon mixture.
- Bake: Pop the cake in the oven and bake according to the cake mix instructions. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING.
- Frosting Time: While the cake cools, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Assemble and Serve: Spread the creamy frosting over the cooled cake, and sprinkle the reserved cinnamon mixture on top. Slice, serve, and enjoy every ooey-gooey bite!
Secret to the Streusel Filling
The star of this show, aside from the fluffy cream cheese frosting, which we will get to, is the crumbly, buttery streusel-like mixture that is swirled throughout the cake. Graham crackers are the hidden secret to this delicious cinnamon swirl cake.
Combining crushed graham crackers with cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter gives the mixture a crunchy texture that will knock your socks off! It doesn’t even taste like graham crackers but provides a texture that can’t be beaten. Start by placing a drizzle on top of the cake batter and swirl it all through the white cake with a toothpick. Save some to crumble over the top of the frosting as a garnish.
Tips for Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
Perhaps my favorite part of cinnamon rolls is the luscious, dreamy, and creamy icing that goes on top! It is whipped to perfection and tastes just like cinnamon roll frosting. The combination is heavenly and your tastebuds will be thanking you! This easy cinnamon roll cake recipe is one you will make over and over again!
- Room temperature – Make sure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature.
- Beat – Whip the cream cheese and butter together in a medium bowl for a few minutes to make it light and fluffy before adding any other ingredients.
- Sift – Slowly add powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing constantly. Sift the sugar to give the powder a light consistency.
- Consistency – If it is too thick, add about a teaspoon of milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Adding vanilla – I like to add the vanilla at the end, then beat on high for about three to five minutes or until it’s nice and fluffy. If you haven’t tried almond extract it is another way to enjoy this cream cheese frosting!
Reviews About this Cake
“Thank you for this recipe! My question, how do you stop eating this cake???? It is sooooo delicious. 🙂”
-Lise
Questions About Cinnamon Swirl Cake
Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to five. A quick zap in the microwave (10-12 seconds) makes it taste fresh-baked again!
Cassia cinnamon is bold and budget-friendly, while Ceylon cinnamon is milder with a delicate flavor. Either works great here!
Absolutely! Bake the cake a day in advance, and frost it right before serving for the freshest taste.
Yes, you can! Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and frost before serving.
Definitely. Just use a gluten-free cake mix and ensure all other ingredients (like graham crackers) are gluten-free. The texture might vary slightly, but it’ll still be delicious!
If you don’t have graham crackers, try crushed sweet biscuits, vanilla wafers, or even crushed shortbread cookies for a similar texture and flavor.
Storing Your Cinnamon Swirl Cake
If there is any leftover cake, which is rare at our house, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It stays fresh on the counter for two days, or refrigerate for up to five. Pro tip: it tastes even better the next day!
More Scrumptious Cake Recipes
If you love cake you are in the right place! Check out some of our favorite cake recipes that make the perfect dessert for any occasion. 🎂
Cinnamon Swirl Cake
Video
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box white cake mix prepared as directed on box
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- Prepare white cake mix according to package directions.
- In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, graham cracker crumbs, butter, and brown sugar. Stir until combined and crumbly. Set aside a ½ cup cinnamon mixture in a separate bowl for topping on the frosting.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the pan.
- Sprinkle half of the remaining cinnamon mixture over the batter, then run a knife through it to swirl.
- Repeat using the remaining cake batter and cinnamon mixture.
- Bake according to the cake package directions.
- Frosting: Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake.
- Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of cinnamon mixture on top.
Notes
- I love to serve this cake while still slightly warm.
- If the frosting is too thick, you can thin it with a little milk. Only do small amounts at a time to get the perfect spreading consistency.
Nutrition Information
So, what are you waiting for? Go preheat that oven and treat yourself to the best Cinnamon Swirl Cake ever. You deserve it! If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Did you add any fun twists or special touches? Let me know in the comments below—I can’t wait to read about your delicious creations and your thoughts on this cake!
So delicious and I can’t believe I ate most of it myself. I adore cinnamon!
I made this cake and I was a little disappointed. I found it to be dry; however, I may have cooked it too long.
Oh shoot! Overcooking can cause dryness. I am sorry this didn’t turn out for you!
I stumbled across your website is there any way you guys have a cookbook for anyone to request of 1 I am hoping so because that would be wonderful
thanks
We actually have 2 cookbooks! Here is the link to our cookbook store page: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/cookbook/
All of my brown sugar sunk to the bottom! ;( is there a way to stop that from happening? Besides that loved the cake!
Thank you for the 5 stars! This is a delicious cake. I haven’t had the problem of the brown sugar sinking to the bottom. I have always used light brown sugar in this recipe, could that be the difference? I also don’t put large clumps of the brown sugar mixture on the cake. I disperse it evenly in smaller spoonfuls over the cake and then gently swirl the knife through. I hope this helps!
Is there anyway i can trade out the sugar when making the frosting with brown sugar perhaps?
We haven’t done it that way but you can try it! Let us know how it turns out for you if you try it!
do you mean one to one and a half lbs of powered sugar?
yes 🙂
Although I enjoy most of your recipes I did not care for this one. The frosting is great, I have made this recipe for years. A box cake is just a box cake. But I do not understand the cracker crumbs. I made this yesterday and will go back to my previous recipe. Just did not care for it at all. Cracker crumbs with cinnamon and sugar looked pretty but tasted flat. Such a disappointment.
Hi Bonnie– We are so sad to hear you didn’t like this recipe! It is usually a hit with our followers. Was your issue that it tasted like a box mix? The cracker crumbs are supposed to add texture in the cinnamon swirls. Glad you liked the frosting though–IMO that is the best part 🙂
Easy, quick and delicious – adding this to my favorites. I made this using sugar-free yellow cake mix, sugar-free oatmeal cookie crumbs and truvia brown sugar blend. For frosting I mixed sugar-free vanilla canned frosting and low fat cream cheese, the ratio depends on how sweet I want it. I imagine the recipe is even more scrumptious using regular ingredients, but I love that I could adapt it for those that need a very low sugar alternative.
Great ideas– glad to hear the low-cal, low-sugar version is delicious too! Thanks!
I just put one of these bad boys in the oven! The cinnamon swirl crumble smelled so good as I mixed it that I momentarily contemplated sneaking off somewhere to eat it by myself and just serving my hubby and son the plain white cake!
Oh man, the crumble is the best part (in my humble opinion). Hope you (and your husband) liked it!
why are there no way to reach the recipe lately?? nothing will click on!! can you recheck your recipes you have sent from april 24 to may 6th?? 2017
I’m I am not sure what you mean? How are you not getting the recipes?
I saw your cake on Instagram a few days ago I told myself, I have to do it. My God, it’s so delicious. Will be on my top ten cakes list. Thank you for sharing.
😀 Thank you so much! We are thrilled to make your Top 10 list! Woohoo!!!
The recipe worked so good my children always ask me to make it over the holidays!
Thank you for sharing your success! My son requests this cake for his birthday every year. I’m so glad your children like it too!
Thank you for this recipe! My question, how do you stop eating this cake???? It is sooooo delicious. 🙂
haha this is the best question I have ever answered 😉 Unfortunately I don’t have a good answer haha I have the same problem when I make it!
Do you have to include graham cracker crumbs? Or will it be fine if I left it out?
You can leave them out.
How long do you bake it for?
You bake it for whatever time is listed on the cake mix box, which is usually 30-35 minutes for a 9×13 cake. I always set my timer 5-10 minutes less than the recommended time and use the toothpick trick to test that it is done, if it’s not I continue to check it every few minutes. I don’t like it over baked. It gets dry and doesn’t taste as good. Thank you for your question!
I got rave reviews when I made this cake and requests to “please make that cinnamon cake you made before.”
Sorry, I am just learning how to use Pinterest so I ended up posting two comments.
I’m totally drooling over this cake. It sounds amazing and I can’t wait to make it!
When I make this recipe I will increase the topping to sprinkle on top but I will also add some walnuts to it. Yummy, sounds so good!
I choose this over cinnamon buns any day!
Do you know if this can be made in a crock pot? I make a cinnamon swirl cake in the crock that is wonderful. May have to try this one.
I haven’t tried that, let us know how it turns out!