Simple Easy Cinnamon Cake
This Easy Cinnamon Cake, is one of the best cakes. It’s fast, easy and delicious. A soft full of cinnamon cake recipe. The scent of cinnamon baking in the oven has to be one of the most amazing aromas! The perfect anytime cake, from breakfast, to snack to dessert.
This cinnamon cake was one of my mother’s recipes, my mother is probably my main source for my non-Italian dessert recipes, because holy cow could my mother bake! From her shortbread cookies, to lemon bread to one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes, and of course this amazing cinnamon cake!
Recipe Ingredients
- Brown sugar – light or golden brown sugar
- Cinnamon – ground cinnamon
- Butter – softened
- Sugar – granulated sugar
- Eggs – large eggs room temperature
- Flour – all purpose flour or cake/pastry flour
- Baking powder – for leavening
- Baking soda – for leavening
- Salt (2 grams)
- Sour milk – homemade sour milk
- Vanilla – vanilla extract
How To Make Homemade Cake/Pastry Flour
For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.
How To Make A Cinnamon Cake Recipe
In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, set aside. In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, and beat until fluffy. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour milk, ending with the sour milk to the creamed mixture. Add the vanilla and mix well.
Spoon a third of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Spoon another third of the batter on top.
Add the remaining cinnamon mixture and then the remaining batter. Bake until done or a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Remove from oven, let cool in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Why Use Room Temperature Ingredients?
When at room temperature, eggs, butter, and other dairy ingredients form an emulsion which traps air. While baking in the oven, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy baked good. So be sure to remove the ingredients from the fridge 45-60 minutes before baking.
Why Cinnamon Cake?
Cinnamon, with its sweet, woody aroma, has been cherished in culinary traditions around the world for centuries. It’s versatile enough to enhance both savory dishes and sweet treats, but it truly shines in desserts. A cinnamon cake combines the spice’s bold flavor with the tender crumb of a classic cake, creating a dessert that’s both comforting and irresistibly delicious.
If there was one cake that I could eat all by myself this would be the one, Cinnamon Cake. I can’t tell you how delicious this cake really is, it’s so good it needs no glaze, frosting or streusel topping. A light dusting of powdered sugar if desired is all it needs!
Why Does My Cake Fall?
- There are a lot a reasons a cake may fall, but the most common ones are, your oven temperature is off, you can always check it with an oven thermometer to check this.
- You open the oven door too early. Never open the oven door before 25-30 minutes of baking.
- Once the batter is mixed it should be baked, letting a cake batter sit too long can cause it to fall. The baking powder or baking soda usually start acting immediately and will only last for a very short period of time, therefore if the cake batter is left to stand before baking then there is always a risk that the baking powder or soda will have expired by the time that the cake goes into the oven.
- Your baking powder or soda has expired and is no long active.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- The pan size might not be the correct size, sometimes using a bundt pan will help.
Recipe FAQs
To make sour milk add one tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to one cup measure, top off with milk, let sit for about 10 – 15 minutes.
Baking soda reacts with acids in a recipe, neutralizing them and, in the process, creating carbon dioxide. Examples of acids include: sour milk, brown sugar, lemon juice, or yogurt.
How to store the cake
As long as the cake is unfrosted it should be kept at room temperature. Keep it in a cake container or well wrapped. It will keep for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, wrap tightly to keep it from drying out. It will keep for up to 5-6 days in the fridge.
How to freeze the cake
Be sure to cool the cake completely then wrap it tightly in either plastic wrap or foil, place it in a freeze safe bag. The cake will keep for up to 2 months. When ready to thaw place the wrapped cake in the refrigerator to thaw before serving.
More Cinnamon Recipes To Enjoy!
- Homemade Cinnamon Apple Strudel
- Cinnamon Apple Puff Pastry Squares
- Cinnamon Cake Donuts
- Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake
Easy and fast to put together and that amazing smell wafting through the house. Soft, moist and cinnamony and so totally perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, one slice, two or three slices, who cares, who’s counting? Enjoy!
The Best Easy Cinnamon Cake
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup butter softened*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 cups all purpose flour or cake/pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour milk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
*If using unsalted butter then add ½ teaspoon of salt.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 325F (160C). Grease and flour or spray an 8 inch / 20cm springform or regular cake pan.
- In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, set aside.
- In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar, approximately 2-3 minutes, then add the eggs, beat until fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour milk, ending with the sour milk to the creamed mixture. Add the vanilla and mix well.
- Spoon 1/3 of the batter into prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon mixture. Spoon another 1/3 of the batter on top, then remaining cinnamon mixture, then top with the remaining batter. Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Remove from oven and let cool 15-20 minutes in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from October 5, 2014.
Great recipe……can you use an angel food cake pan?
Many Thanks
Rickie
Hi Rickie depending on how big your pan is you should follow these guidlines, for a 1-2 inch deep pan you should fill it so it is 1/2 full of batter. If the pan is 3-4 inches deep you should fill it 2/3 full. I hope that helps.
I haven’t made this yet but it sounds wonderful. I have milk in the fridge that’s 3 weeks past its expiration date. I’m assuming it is sour by now. Can I use that?
Hi Diane, sure that would work. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know.
I baked this cake and it was awesome. My whole family loved it. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Grace, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed it. Take care.
Fantastic cake, cross between a cake and doughnuts, yum
Still one of the best well-made and easy recipes! Took no longer than 45 minutes all together for me since my oven is super hot. 10/10 recommend.
Hi Lin, thanks so much so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
This is amazing ❤️
Thanks Swathi, glad you enjoyed it.
I tried baking it without an oven and it stil turned out great .
Perfect cake for a lockdown. Came out so good. The best thing is that it is so easy to make ! Thanks !
Hi Madeeha, thanks so much. So glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
this has become a go to for me.
Super easy to make and everyone loved it.
I substituted the butter for oil as I only had one tb of butter only and it tasted good !
Thanks for this. Will be making it again for sure !!
Hi Maria, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
This looks great! Do you know if I can use this recipe for a stacked cake (3 layers)?
Hi Lindsey, I have never tried it as a layer cake but I think it would work. Let me know if you make it.
Another great recipe. Thanks for sharing. Bake every weekend for my 90 year Dad – this is a big hit.
Hi Doreen, thanks so much, that’s so wonderful baking for your Dad. Both of you take care.
Hi i made this cake once and it was amazing! I was wondering if it is better stored in the fridge or room temperature?
Hi Xitlali, I usually store it at room temperature, wrapped well in plastic and stored in an airtight container, it should keep for up to 5 days. If you house is overly warm then I would probably store it in the fridge, just bring it to room temperature before eating. You could also freeze it in a freezer safe bag or container (wrapped well in plastic first) it will last up to three months. Make sure the cake has cooled completely before wrapping and storing. Hope that helps.
loved this!!! I accidentally mixed all the cinammon into the cake, it was the best thing ever! I got so many compliments from my family and friends, I am elated right now! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Hi EM, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed it. Take care.
Best fluffy cinnamon cake ever tasted.
Hi, will I be able to use white sugar and maple syrup instead of brown sugar?
Hi Preet, apparently you can, for every one cup of brown sugar substitute with one cup white sugar and one tablespoon of maple syrup. Let me know how it goes.