Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake tastes just like the best cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had, with a cake-like twist!
Some of my other favorite breakfast-inspired cake recipes include my Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bundt Cake, my Lemon Poppyseed Cake, and my Cinnamon Coffee Cake.
Why This Recipe Works
Tastes JUST LIKE a cinnamon roll — I will simply tell you that this pound cake is dense, moist, and so much like a cinnamon roll it’s almost scary. Really. I mean, you could make cinnamon rolls, but why not make cake? One bite and you will be forever smitten by this cinnamon roll pound cake.
Great for any meal — I mean, okay, I guess it’s not a very well-balanced lunch if you only have cake but truly, it’s not just an after-dinner dessert. This cake can (and should) be eaten for dinner, for a snack, and for just about any and every celebration.
So easy — This cake only takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to make, and that includes baking time and icing time too! You just mix the batter, mix the sugar and cinnamon in another bowl, and layer them in two loaf pans. Bake, cool a little, and ice! So easy!
Perfect for a party — I get asked time and time again to bring this cinnamon loaf pan to brunches, lunches, breakfasts, bake sales, dessert, pot lucks — you get the idea! While this cake isn’t hard to make by any means, no one makes it! So you get to be the hero. Everyone will want this recipe, but if you don’t share I won’t tell.
Ingredients
- Butter — You’ll need butter for both the cake and the icing. You’ll want it soft so you can mix it in easily. If it’s not softened, see below for ways to easily soften your butter.
- Sugar — Regular, fine, white sugar is perfect for this recipe.
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt — You can use plain Greek yogurt if that’s all you have but you’ll want to try the vanilla if possible. It’ll be a little less tart, and offer more delicious vanilla flavoring when using the vanilla Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is also thicker, which is great for this batter. Non-Greek yogurt will be too thin in my opinion for this cake to bake up nice and fluffy.
- Vanilla — I prefer to use real vanilla extract but you can use artificial if that’s what you have, in both the cake and the icing.
- Heavy Cream — Thick and rich, and the perfect liquid for both helping the batter and the icing mix together and stay creamy.
- Eggs — I always buy large eggs, so that’s what I’d recommend using in this recipe for cinnamon roll pound cake.
- Flour — All purpose flour is good in this recipe, I haven’t tested it using any other kind so I can’t vouch for how it would taste with other kinds of flours.
- Baking Soda — Baking soda helps the loaf rise. Be sure it’s not expired before using.
- Cinnamon — You can’t have cinnamon roll pound cake without its main ingredient!
- Cream Cheese — For the same reason you want to use softened butter, you’ll also want to use softened cream cheese in the icing. Cream cheese icing is one of my favorites, it adds a little bit of tart to the icing that nicely balances out the sweetness of the sugar and earthiness of the cinnamon.
- Powdered Sugar — Icing needs powdered sugar. You can’t use regular sugar for the icing (and you can’t use powdered sugar for the cake) with good results. Any brand will do.
Here’s How You Make It
Bonus of making this cake? Your entire house will smell like a cinnamon roll. No need to light candles. But do keep your windows closed, or all the neighbors will follow the cinnamon trail to your door.
- First, preheat the oven to 350, next, line two 9×5 loaf pans with nonstick foil and spray the foil heavily with cooking spray. Set those aside.
- Now, get out a large bowl and beat the butter and sugar until it comes together in a light and fluffy fix. Add in the vanilla Greek yogurt, then stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Once those are incorporated, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well in between each additional egg.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking soda together with a whisk or a fork. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. (Be careful not to over mix. )
- In another small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.
- Now to put it all together: pour 1/3 of the batter into the loaf pans. Next, sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture into the pan, on top of the batter. Repeat, adding remaining batter on top of the cinnamon sugar, then add cinnamon sugar, again, then end with the batter.
- Put the loaf pans into the oven for about 50 minutes or until the edges begin to brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If the cake is not ready in 50 minutes, check again every 5-10 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before gently removing from pans.
Make the Icing
- I like to make the icing while the cake cools. Mix together the softened butter and cream cheese, then add the cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar and mix to combine. Pour over the cooled loaves, and allow the icing to set at least one hour before slicing and serving.
FAQs
There are actually quite a few ways to soften butter.
1. The first one might seem obvious, but simply leave the butter out on the counter for a couple of hours until it’s nice and soft.
2. If you’ve forgotten to get the butter out to allow for time for it to soften (which I do all the time), try cutting the butter or grating it into small pieces to allow each piece to soften individually.
3. Use the microwave at 20% power. You’ll have to watch this one and take it out to check it pretty often. Butter goes from not soft to melted in seconds.
4. Now this viral butter softening TikTok hack I’ve not tried, but I hear it works like magic: Heat water in a kettle or in the microwave, then pour the water into a glass. Pour the water out, then turn the glass over on top of the stick of butter. It supposedly softens so easily this way!
Cream Cheese Icing Alternatives
If you don’t want to make the cream cheese icing but would prefer another kind, try to substitute it or try another one of these options.
- Purchase store-bought cream cheese or vanilla icing.
- Leave the cake icing-free, it’ll still be delicious.
- Try hazelnut icing instead.
- Substitute sour cream for the cream cheese.
- Use a buttercream icing.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Different climates and altitudes can affect the baking time of this cake, which is why the time to cook is suggested as 50-70 minutes.
- Make mini loaves following the same directions for layering but use muffin tins to make mini cinnamon roll pound cakes. Check the muffins after 30 minutes of cooking time.
- This cinnamon roll cake will keep on the counter, covered, for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
More Recipes to Try
- Gingerbread Loaf – fill your kitchen with warmth and tastes like the holidays in every slice.
- Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars – cheesecake and cinnamon rolls in one tasty treat, need I say more?
- German Chocolate Cake – a timeless German chocolate classic, pure indulgence in every slice.
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3 ¼ cups sugar, divided
- 1 cup vanilla greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Icing
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line two 9×5 loaf pans with nonstick foil, spray heavily with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in greek yogurt. Stir in heavy cream and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. In a separate bowl mix flour and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet in gredients and mix until just combined.
- In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Pour 1/3 of batter into loaf pans. Sprinkle half of cinnamon sugar mixure into pan. Repeat with remaining batter, then cinnamon sugar, then ending with batter.
- Bake about 50 minutes or until edges begin to brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If cake is not ready at 50 minutes, check again every 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before gently removing from pans.
- For the icing, mix together butter and cream cheese. Add cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar and mix to combine. Pour over cooled loaves. Allow to cool and set at least one hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just finished enjoying a slice of this deliciousness. Really good and simple to make. I will admit my family could not wait for the icing to set – we will save the second loaf and try it with harder icing. Thanks for the tasty recipe! It’s a keeper!
Is the flour you are using plain or self rising? I want to make this for a Church Breakfast. Thank you.
It is regular all-purpose flour.
I am interested in making this pound cake but I have a question about it. You listed 3 cups sugar plus 1/4 divided.Then making it you, cream sugar with the butter.Latter you add 1/4 sugar with cinnamon spread over one third batter.Then again on last third .My question this recipe makes two loaves.One quarter cup of sugar doesn’t sound like enough for two loaves ? Do you put 3 cups of sugar with the butter?
Hi Tiffany! I’m planning to make this next week for my sisters wedding! I have to travel 6 hrs with it. How many days in advance can it be made and what is the best way to keep it fresh the longest? Thank you!
Hi Erica! How exciting – congrats to your sister! This cake is one of my favorite recipes on the whole blog, I hope you love it! Of course it is best fresh but I usually make two loaves of this and can keep it up to 5 or 6 days and it still tastes awesome. I always store it in an airtight container without anything touching the top so that the frosting doesn’t get ruined. If you wanted, you could even wait to frost until the day of for the freshest frosting possible. Hope you love it!
I made this cake three times and it just never gets done in the middle. Last time I tried, the middle was almost raw. The part that is done takes wonderful though. I followed the recipe exactly and wondered if the tinfoil in the pan could be causing the problem.
Do you think just greasing and flouring would be enough to keep it from sticking to the pan? I am using glass loaf pans.
Thank you – wonderful flavor, if only I could get it done without the outside becoming too dried out.
Hi Brenda, Oh I haven’t had that issue… I always use a metal pan though if that helps! You could grease and flour to help with the sticking issue. As for the doneness in the middle and outside, I’d suggest moving your rack lower in the oven if it is up toward the top third, this usually causes the top/outside of foods to cook faster than the middle.
Thank you so much for the prompt response! I will make it on Monday morning and will let you know how it turns out.
A happy follower I am!
I wanted to make the Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake for a group morning
meeting. Could I make this in a bunt pan or maybe 9″ or 10″ pans? I love your site and have turned my 12 year old granddaughter onto your site, she loves to cook, but really loves to bake.
Hi Sharon! I’m so happy to year your granddaughter is enjoying the recipes I share here on Creme de la Crumb! As for the cinnamon roll pound cake, if you aren’t up for using a loaf pan then I’d double the batch and use a bunt pan – I’ve had a few readers mention doing this with good results.
It looks like this recipes makes 2 loaves . What cook time or change would be nneeded to make this in a bundt pan?
Hi Cindy! I haven’t made this in a bundt pan but I’d keep the same temperature and just keep an eye on the baking time – it would probably need a bit longer than baking the loaves separate. 🙂
omg ,this is exceptionally good… tiffany it says something to the effect of wait one hour before cutting into this cake ? yeah,ok will do ? no such thing .. lol there should be a warning label for this cake. warning …. do not make this cake alone,can be very dangerous or personal injury to the rest of your day may occur. no really its that good!!! from Toronto, say hi to everyone in van thanks tiffany
Ha! I know, an hour is so long to wait – pretty much impossible! My husband asks for this cake ALL the time, it’s his number one request for me as far as my blog recipes go – it’s addicting! So glad you enjoyed it Elizabeth!
i tried this cake in a bundt pan it turned out great the family loved it
Hi Vivain…I wimped out and used a tube pan. I was afraid it would stick worse in the grooves and do better with the straight edges. I sent it with my parents to the senior center and promptly received my empty plate back…lol the loaf bundt or tube is magic! I made the loaf version for work and it all disappeared. 😉 okay need to go wash my empty plates now!!! Thank you.