A delicious re-interpretation of our homemade Cinnabuns recipe, this decadent Cinnamon Bun Cake has all of the scrumptious flavor of a cinnamon bun without all the work! Seriously, one of the easiest cake recipes you will ever make!

Cinnamon Bun Cake Recipe

Cinnamon buns are one of my favorite desserts, but they are time-consuming to make and require a lot of clean surface space to roll out the dough. Sometimes, you just want the taste of your favorite dessert – without all of the work!

This Cinnamon Bun Cake ended up being the perfect way to satisfy my cinnamon bun craving – using a doctored cake mix recipe with swirls of sweet cinnamon sugar baked in and a delicious, crackly vanilla frosting glaze on top. It tastes just like the inside piece of a cinnamon bun and is so easy to make that the kids can help with every step.

This sheet cake would be perfect for BBQs or potlucks – it’s low-fuss, easy to serve and I love being able to just bake my potluck contribution in a casserole dish and take it along with me. However, I can’t think of any occasion that I wouldn’t want a slice of this delicious, tender cake.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of nuts in cakes or cinnamon buns but if you’re a fan of them you can swirl them in along with the cinnamon sugar. I highly recommend Millican Pecan’s Pecan Pieces. I didn’t realize what a difference there could be between pecan brands, but these are so incredibly fresh and flavorful – plus I always grab some pecan coffee or their flavored pecans when I place my order.

Can you freeze this cinnamon bun cake? Yes, bake the cake in a freezer-safe container (another reason I love my Pyrex Casserole Dish), wrap and then store for up to one month. Do not add the frosting before freezing.

Recipe Variations:

You can make a cream cheese frosting for this cake instead of the crackly vanilla glaze described below
Swap out the vanilla cake mix for chocolate cake mix, caramel cake mix, pumpkin cake mix, etc, for a new flavor combination.
Use pumpkin spice instead of cinnamon for a fall-inspired twist
Divide the recipe into individual loaf pans for 3 cinnamon roll cakes
Swap out the oil required in the recipe for applesauce for a lower fat content
Use a maple extract instead of vanilla for a delicious twist

More Cinnamon Bun Inspired Recipes

Of course, you can make our Homemade Cinnabuns recipe (or any of the delicious variations we’ve made on it – Gingerbread Cinnamon Buns, Strawberry Cinnamon Buns, Swedish Cinnamon Buns, etc), or check out these cinnamon bun inspired recipes:

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes
Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
Easy Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls from the Soccer Mom Blog
Cinnamon Bun Latte
Cinnamon Bun Crackers
Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Cake from Shugary Sweets

Cinnamon Bun Cake Ingredients

Vanilla Cake Mix
Eggs
Oil of Choice
Greek Yogurt <– can use sour cream
Brown Sugar
Ground Cinnamon
Vanilla Extract, optional

For the Vanilla Frosting:

Powdered Icing Sugar
Milk of choice, as needed
Vanilla Extract, optional

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: swap out the vanilla cake mix for different flavors: caramel cake, pumpkin cake, etc.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

9″ x 13″ Casserole Dish <– I love these Pyrex dishes with fitted lids for easy transportation to parties or leftover storage
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Electric mixer – this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
Mixing Bowl
Offset Spatula

How to Make a Cinnamon Bun Cake

Preheat oven to 325ºF

Grease and line a 8″x12″ cake pan, and set aside.

Mix together the cake mix, eggs, oil, vanilla extract and greek yogurt and combine for 2 full minutes.

Pour the cake batter into the cake pan.

Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the cake batter and then use a spoon or spatula to twirl the brown sugar mixture into the cake batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool slightly before preparing the icing.

(You can apply the frosting while the cake is still warm or wait for it to be cooled completely – if warm, it will melt into the cake a bit.)

Combine the powdered sugar, half of the milk, and the vanilla (if using). Add the milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency.

Pour the frosting over your cake and smooth out with an offset spatula.

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Yield: 12 servings

Cinnamon Bun Cake

Name: Cinnamon Bun Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Cake
Ingredients: 1 box cake mix; 4 eggs; 3/4 cup oil of choice; 1 cup greek yogurt; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 Tablespoon cinnamon; 2 cups powdered icing sugar; 3/4 cup milk of choice, as needed; 1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

A scrumptious cinnamon bun cake with a delicious vanilla crackle frosting - easy enough for kids to help with but delicious enough for a special occasion.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 box cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil of choice
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

For the Frosting:

2 cups powdered icing sugar
3/4 cup milk of choice, as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F
Grease and line a 8"x12" cake pan, and set aside.
Mix together the cake mix, eggs, oil and greek yogurt and combine for 2 full minutes.
Pour the cake batter into the cake pan.
Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the cake batter and then use a spoon or spatula to twirl the brown sugar mixture into the cake batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cake cool before preparing the icing.
Combine the powdered sugar, half of the milk, and the vanilla (if using). Add the milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
Pour the frosting over your cake and smooth out with an offset spatula.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 462Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 361mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 1gSugar: 52gProtein: 6g

Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.

This cinnamon bun cake is the perfect dessert for any occasion – easy enough for a weeknight dessert but delicious enough for a special occasion.

For more easy and unique cake recipes, check out our Magical Pumpkin Cake or our Chocolate Tahini Icebox Cake.

Cinnamon Bun Cake