Hi Everyone! How is the weather in your neck of the woods? Has the summer heat finally left you? I’m not sure it will ever leave here. Mind you, I like summer. I love swimming at my sister, Marilyn’s, pool and watching the lightning bugs. But, when the end of August comes around I start to think of Autumn and all the good things it brings. There are pleasant days and cool nights when you can leave the windows open and hear the bugs and birds, the sight of colorful leaves and pumpkins and best of all – the food. I get a real craving for soups and casseroles. The baking is different once the temperatures drop too. Yes, I still make cookies and cakes, but in Autumn there are pumpkin and squash desserts galore and then many recipes have that wonderful touch of cinnamon.
I adore a good cinnamon roll. If you recall, a few months ago I told you all about the tea ring which is just like a giant cinnamon roll. I could seriously eat a whole tea ring and not break a sweat. Yes, I know, I have a problem – a gooey, cinnamony, yeasty, wonderful problem. However, cinnamon rolls and even tea rings are a time commitment that I can’t always make. But, good news, I am going to share with you a cake recipe that is super easy and super quick and super delicious. Seriously, this cake tastes just like a big old gooey cinnamon roll. The cake is fluffy with pockets of cinnamon sugar swirled throughout with a nice simple vanilla glaze on top. I have taken this moist and yummy cake to family gatherings and I have never had a complaint yet. And, believe me, you can always trust your loved ones to let you know the truth about food. But this cake is just too darn good to criticize. You could easily serve this cake for a holiday breakfast, dessert, with coffee when guests drop by or any old time. It is fantastic warm but also keeps well in a sealed container for a few days. I like to keep mine in the frig and then warm pieces for serving. I have often thought that a drizzle of apple pie filling would be great for pie lovers. I am just happy with the cake as it is – simple and cozy with the flavors of home and love.
This cake is totally from scratch but is still so very simple. Don’t be apprehensive about this recipe. It is as easy as pie – or cake. You will need flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, milk (2 % or whole), and melted butter for the cake. The cinnamon filling is made with softened butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon (duh). The glaze is made with powdered sugar, vanilla and milk or heavy cream. I really like to use cream but milk works too.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 X 13 cake pan with cooking spray.
In the bowl of your stand mixer or large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, combine 3 cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar and 4 teaspoons of baking powder with a whisk or fork until everything is pretty evenly distributed. Add in 2 eggs, 3 teaspoons of vanilla and 1 ½ cups milk and mix well. Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add ½ cup of butter that has been melted and cooled slightly. Mix this just until everything is combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and set aside.
Now you need to make the cinnamon filling. This is the most strenuous part of the whole proceeding. Add 1 cup of softened butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons of flour and 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon to a medium bowl and mix by hand with a wooden or plastic spoon. Don’t use a mixer if you can help it because the filling might become too soft. Use some elbow grease and mix until you have a nice paste consistency and you don’t see too many pockets of butter left.
Drop the cinnamon filling all over the cake batter in globs that are about the size of a walnut.
Cinnamon Roll Cake batter and filling before swirl
Once you have dropped all of the filling on the batter use a table knife to run through the globs to make streaks and swirls throughout the cake. You want to have cinnamon filling in each bite so swirl pretty liberally but don’t go so far as stirring.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out pretty clean and the edges are very slightly browned. Do not overbake.
After the cake has cooled for about 30 minutes, make the glaze. To do that, you will need to add 2 cups of powdered sugar to a large measuring cup or small bowl. Mix in milk or cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla just until you have a nice thick glaze. I used about 3 Tablespoons of milk for mine but you may need more.
Pour the glaze in a thin stream over the warm cake, allowing it to run into all the little cracks and crevices.
Serve this delicious cake warm or cool. Either way, you will not be disappointed.
Tastes Like Love Cinnamon Roll Cake
This cake tastes just like a big old gooey cinnamon roll. The cake is fluffy with pockets of cinnamon sugar swirled throughout with a nice simple vanilla glaze on top.
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
- For the filling:
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 heaping Tablespoon of cinnamon
- For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 - 5 Tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 X 13 cake pan with cooking spray.
- Step 2 In the bowl of your stand mixer or large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, combine 3 cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar and 4 teaspoons of baking powder with a whisk or fork until everything is pretty evenly distributed.
- Step 3 Add in 2 eggs, 3 teaspoons of vanills and 1 ½ cups milk and mix well.
- Step 4 Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add ½ cup of butter that has been melted and cooled slightly. Mix this just until everything is combined.
- Step 5 Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and set aside.
- Step 6 To make the cinnamon filling, add 1 cup of softened butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons of flour and 1 heaping Tablespoon of cinnamon to a medium bowl and mix by hand with a wooden or heavy plastic spoon.
- Step 7 Drop the cinnamon filling all over the cake batter in globs that are about the size of a walnut.
- Step 8 Use a table knife to run through the globs to make streaks and swirls throughout the cake.
- Step 9 Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out pretty clean and the edges are very slightly browned. Do not overbake.
- Step 10 Allow the cake to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Step 11 To make the vanilla glaze add 2 cups of powdered sugar to a large measuring cup or small bowl. Mix in milk or cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla just until you have a nice thick glaze.
- Step 12 Pour the glaze in a thin stream over the warm cake.
