This cinnamon sugar cake is one of the simplest recipes but yields delicious results. With two tiers of moist white cinnamon cake and a homemade cinnamon buttercream cream frosting, everyone is going to love this easy cake recipe!
Easy Cinnamon Sugar Cake
Today we are making this cinnamon sugar cake, a super easy cake recipe!
I did have my mom get the recipe (her friend is a cook at the cafe), but after some research, I found out it was a Taste of Home recipe. So, thank you, Taste of Home!
You’ll be shocked at how easily this beautiful cake comes together. In fact, you’ll be able to make it even if you don’t have any baking or cake decorating experience at all.
Ingredients:
There are two parts to this delicious easy cake recipe – the cake and the frosting. Both are homemade (or semi-homemade). Elevate the flavors by using the freshest ingredients you can find! Here’s what you need:
Cinnamon Sugar Cake
- White Cake Mix – The flavors stand out best if you use a white cake mix.
- Milk – Any type of unflavored, full-fat milk will work.
- Sour Cream – For a richer cake, use full-fat sour cream.
- Unsalted Butter – Make sure it is unsalted and melted.
- Eggs – These are the emulsifiers; use large or medium eggs.
- Ground Cinnamon – You can’t have cinnamon sugar cake without cinnamon!
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Use a real vanilla extract for a deeper flavor profile.
Homemade Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted Butter – Use softened butter; it will whip better.
- Powdered Sugar – If you want this to be sugar-free, use a confectioner’s sugar substitute.
- Milk – Whole-fat milk will give the buttercream frosting a richer flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon – This not only gives the frosting the flavor but also the light brown specks.
- Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla extract.
- Cinnamon-Sugar – Save a little extra cinnamon sugar for the topping.
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Cake
This cake is insanely easy to make, and I can’t begin to describe how delicious it is. The actual cake is so moist – it’s incredible. And the simplicity of the cinnamon and sugar is magical.
It’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch in cake form, but 100 times better! Something like that.
Honestly, If you’re ever in a pinch for a quick dessert, give this a try. All you have to do is mix all the cake ingredients together. Then, bake two 9-inch cakes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
While the cakes cool off, make the homemade buttercream frosting. Then, add the frosting to the cakes, make the layers, and add even more frosting to the top and sides.
Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar – that’s it!
To dress it up, I used some washi tape and wood skewers to make a few little flags. I off-centered them on the cake. Simple, but still super cute.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cinnamon Sugar Cake
Before we get to the printable recipe card, here are some questions people often ask about how to make this easy cake recipe. If you don’t see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.
Can you freeze this cake?
Yes, this cake will freeze perfectly. If you are going to freeze the cake, I suggest doing so without the frosting.
Wrap each cake individually in plastic wrap and store them in a resealable freezer-safe bag. The cakes will stay fresh in the freezer for about six months.
How do you make an easy cake recipe that is gluten-free?
All you have to do is use gluten-free white cake mix! Everything else in this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
How do you make dairy-free buttercream frosting?
If you want to make the buttercream frosting dairy-free, just use almond or oat milk instead of dairy milk. Then, use ghee in place of butter.
That’s a Wrap On This Easy Cake Recipe!
What makes this cinnamon sugar cake such an easy cake recipe is that it’s made with a box cake mix.
However, with just a few simple tweaks, tricks, and additions, it becomes a really delicious cake that will certainly please everyone’s palette!
In case you’re looking for more easy dessert recipes, try these!
I hope you enjoyed this easy cake recipe for this delicious cinnamon sugar cake!
Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!
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Cinnamon Sugar Cake
Ingredients
- 1 package white cake mix
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon-sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the cake. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed for 2 minutes. Transfer the batter into two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans and place on wire racks to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy – about five minutes. Add the powdered sugar, milk, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Then, assemble the cake by spreading the frosting between the layers, over the top, and on the sides. Sprinkle the top and sides with the cinnamon-sugar.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
This was so easy to make and absolutely delicious. I made it for my husband who loves cinnamon. So it was absolutely perfect.
Also, minus the cinnamon I’d use this icing as my standard buttercream. It came together perfectly and was exactly enough for a 2 layer 9″round cake. Plenty for the middle, sides and top!
This recipe is calling for a brown butter frosting!
Go for it! I love this cake as is, but you’r welcome to make it your own. Happy baking!
xo Michael
Thanks for the awesome recipe! I am a big fan of “the cake doctor” cookbooks to get that scratch-made flavor from boxed cake mix….so convenient. Can’t wait to try this cinnamon cake! Especially for fall baking.
Out of curiosity, my thoughts while reading the recipe was baking in a 9×13 pan over brown sugar apples for an apple upside down cake since my family isn’t very fond of frosting. (I know, weird, right!?) Have you tried any variations of the recipe other than a layer cake? Thanks again for all your enjoyable posts. I appreciate and enjoy your creativity and ideas.
Sounds like that could be delicious! This is the only way I’ve tried this recipe, but feel free to experiment and make it your own. Happy baking!
xo Michael
My family has declared this their all time favorite cake! Thank you for the recipe!
My husband baked this last night. It was so delicious!!! It goes in my cake file right next to Martha Stewart’s three layer chocolate birthday cake.
Can’t wait to try this sometime soon! I bet it would be delicious in the fall, also. 🙂
I made this cake this weekend and it was absolutely delicious!! It was a huge hit and the icing is perfect 🙂
We LOVE your washi tape cake flags (the cake looks pretty damn delicious too)!
We shared this fabulous post as part of our ’10 fabulous washi tape ideas’ on The Paperdashery blog.
Thanks for the inspiration!
This is the prettiest cake!! Those flavors – it’s sort of like a snickerdoodle cookie in cake form. Pinning!!!
I made this cake today! It came out perfectly. Thank you for a great recipe. It’s definitely a keeper. Gave you a little linky on my blog too. ♥
Hi Michael,
Found this recipe from Pinterest and made it yesterday for my daughter’s 5th birthday. I am not the best baker (although I do have a food blog, think dinner 🙂 !) and birthday cakes usually end in tears for me. Just ask my husband. But this one turned out amazing! So incredibly moist and such an easy recipe. My family absolutely loved it. My go to birthday cake recipe now. Thank you for sharing!!!
Yay Jenny!! I’m SO happy to hear that. You have to love an easy (and totally delicious) recipe, right. Thrilled it turned out for you!
xo Michael
what if we want to make the cake from scratch? (so without buying the white cake mix)
Could you tell us what white cake mix recipe to use?