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.
Hi thanks for the recipe. Can I substitute the butter for oil ?
Hi Monica, yes you can, although you should probably use 2 tablespoons less of oil (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) since it is higher in fat. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
I don’t have a springform pan and over half my family is gluten free! Help! This recipe was chosen as next Fridays recipe for my sons online cooking class. Should I use a casserole dish, square cake pan or round cake pans? I haven’t baked a cake in over twenty years, before we went GF! Will one to one GF flour work or do I need to add something?
Hi Dori, I am so happy this recipe was chosen. You can you use a round or square pan but it should be an 8 inch. Be sure to grease and flour the pan. Depends on the gf flour, usually all-in-one blends are a one-to-one swap with regular flour, and the blend should say that on the front of the bag or in its name. Check the back of the bag to be certain. Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes. Take care.
I’ve made this recipe 3 times and its my family’s new favorite cake. I only use half the sugar tho because my mom is diabetic and I don’t like overly sweet cakes. Since it’s not so sweet it works well as a morning tea cake as well. And to add back some sweetness you could add a whipped cream topping mixture(250ml heavy whipping cream, 5 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1&1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon)
Hi Tatum, thanks so much, so glad you like it and your Mom also. Take care.
I think the temperature is for a fan oven as my cake took 1 hr 15 min at 160C (my oven temperatures are correct by a thermometer).
Once cooked, the cake was very tasty, it reminds me of a cinnamon doughnut.
I’ve baked this cake a few times now and it tastes amazing! Its my new favourite! I use buttermilk instead of sour milk and it works just as well. Its super soft and crumbly and the butter and cinnamon makes it rich with flavour.
So glad that you shared this recipe with us!
Hi Kristina, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Have a great week.
Hi chef! Thank you so much for this recipe you save my life, the cake was perfect, thank you again🔥🔥.
Thanks so much Marie, glad you enjoyed it, and happy I saved your life. Have a great week. 🙂
Can this recipe be used for layered cakes?
Hi Holly, yes I think that the cake would work for a layer cake. Let me know how it goes.
Hi there! just wondering what would you substitute the baking powder with since we don’t have any on hand at the moment?
Hi Mikaela, well if you can make your own to make 1 tablespoon baking powder, mix well 2 teaspoons cream of tartar with 1 teaspoon baking soda. Leaving it out is not a good idea as your cake won’t rise. Hope that helps.
I just made this cake and OMG, is sooooooo delicious!!
Thank you for the recipe!!
Greetings from Brazil ;D
Hi Renata, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it all the way from Brazil!
Hi there, would I be able to bake this cake in an 8 inch square pan instead of a circular one?
Hi Tracy, yes should work. Let me know how it goes.
What is amount of 0% Greek yogurt to use to substitute for 1 cup sour milk?
Many Thanks!
Rickie
Hi Rickie you really can’t substitute just greek yogurt because it is so thick, I would recommend 1/2 cup greek yogurt and 1/2 cup of milk.
How do I alter the ingredients if I am using a 24cm cake tin.
I made this yesterday it was soooo nice I need to bake a bigger one at the weekend.
Thank you.
Hi Claudia, I think if you 1 1/2 the recipe it will be enough for 9 1/2 inch (24cm) pan. Let me know how it goes.
Thank you – I will keep you posted how it goes
Great recipe. My brother absolutely loved it! The cinnamon flavour was delicious.
Thanks so much Rosemina, glad your brother enjoyed it. Take care.
Looking forward to trying this one since I have about a litre of sour milk to use up. My questions is: Does this cake freeze well?
Hi Christina, yes it does freeze well. Be sure to wrap it well in plastic or foil and place in a freezer safe bag or container. It should last about 3 months in the freezer. Hope that helps.
This was absolutely delicious and super easy to make! I added in a generous sprinkle of nutmeg to the cinnamon/brown sugar mix. So good my husband asked me to make a second one because we ate the first one so quickly! A very old fashioned treat.
Hi Amy thanks so much, so glad you both enjoyed it so much. Have a great weekend.