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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.
Featured with this recipe
- Ingredients in Easy Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- Secret to the Streusel Filling
- How to Make the Best Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- Tips for Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
- Questions About Cinnamon Cake
- Storing Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- More Scrumptious Cake Recipes
- How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- Cinnamon Swirl Cake Recipe
Cinnamon swirl cake is the perfect dessert when you are craving cinnamon rolls but need a cake now! This moist, homemade cinnamon swirl cake is just the opposite. It is simple to make, big cinnamon flavor, and is done in a snap! When you are craving a cinnamon roll this cake is for you! It is a real favorite, and it will be for you too!
Don’t skip out on a homemade cinnamon roll when you can have this cinnamon swirl cake recipe. This cinnamon swirl cake tastes just like a cinnamon roll! It is ooey-gooey and delicious in every bite. The cake is swirled with savory cinnamon, buttery brown sugar, and graham cracker crumbs sprinkled throughout. Every bite is warm and comforting just like a cinnamon roll!
Ingredients in Easy Cinnamon Swirl Cake
Combine an easy cake mix, a buttery streusel filling, and a luscious cream cheese frosting and you have a delicious, easy cinnamon swirl cake recipe that you’ll find yourself making over and over again. Take your pantry staple ingredients to the next level and make this delicious cinnamon swirl cake for your friends and family!
- One box white cake mix – In a stand mixer, prepare the cake as directed on the box. Most call for an egg, vegetable oil, and water. You can also use a yellow cake mix or vanilla cake mix too. Bake the cake as directed in a baking dish lined with parchment paper or sprayed with baking spray.
- Cinnamon – About a teaspoon or so depending on how much you like cinnamon.
- Graham cracker crumbs – Use a food processor or rolling pin to crush graham crackers into crumbs.
- Butter – You will need melted butter for this streusel to whisk in with the cinnamon, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs.
- Brown sugar – The rich sugar dissolves into the melted butter for a delicious glaze that blends well with the other ingredients.
- Optional – If you have nut fans in your house, chop some walnuts or pecans and mix in with the streusel or sprinkle on top of the warm cake. These are fun variations to try!
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.
How to Make the Best Cinnamon Swirl Cake
You are going to love how simple this cinnamon swirl cake is to assemble! All the ingredients can be pantry staples and ready to go when you need a quick dessert or a sweet treat for after dinner. Turn your cake mix into a delicious ooey-gooey cinnamon roll cake in minutes! It is the perfect amount of sweetness!
- Cake mix – Prepare white cake mix according to package directions.
- Stir together – 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.
- Assemble – 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. Pour the batter and repeat using the remaining cake batter and cinnamon mixture.
- Bake together – Bake according to the cake package directions.
- Frosting – Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency.
- Frosting and serve – Spread frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of cinnamon mixture on top.
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!
- Topping – Spread on top of the cooled 9×13 cake, and add a little bit of the crumble mixture on top if you like.
“Thank you for this recipe! My question, how do you stop eating this cake???? It is sooooo delicious. 🙂”
-Lise
Questions About Cinnamon Cake
Storing cake or rolls in an airtight container is key to keeping your baked goods fresh and moist.
Cassia cinnamon is a common choice of spice for baking. It is not as expensive and doesn’t have the strongest flavor out of the jar. While you are cooking it actually becomes milder. Another cinnamon that is popular is Ceylon cinnamon. This cinnamon is milder and less flavorful.
A cinnamon swirl cake is essentially a cinnamon roll that is made into a cake. It has all the same flavors as a cinnamon roll just prepared in a baking pan.
After the topping ingredients are added to the cake batter in the prepared pan, I like to use a butter knife or a fork to swirl the cake. Start on one end of the pan and slowly go from edge to edge creating a swirl as you are moving the knife or fork. The topping will create an “S” shape throughout the batter and spread the topping throughout the cake.
Storing Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Cake
Store leftover easy cinnamon swirl cake tightly covered with plastic wrap on the counter for two days or in the refrigerator for up to five days. When ready to enjoy, simply slice and eat or warm up in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds. It will melt in your mouth!
READ MORE: 33+ Easy Dessert Ideas
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.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Cake
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 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!