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.
This was delicious and so easy to make. Thank you! (For those interested in dairy free: I subbed plant milk for milk and oil for butter. Still so good)
Hi Eliana, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes instead of a large cake? What adjustments would you make to baking time? Thanks
Hi Kathryn, yes you could make cupcakes, I think you should get about 10 cupcakes with the recipe. Baking time would be about 15-20 minutes, keep your eye on them though. Let me know how it goes. Take care.
What type of brown sugar do you use?
Hi Trudi, I use light brown sugar. I hope you enjoy it. Take care!
hii I’ve made this before in a round tin and it came out perfect but I want to try a different shape for guests
will it work the same in a square one? 8×8?
Hi Mariam, thanks so much and yes it will work in a square pan. Take care!
Delicious moist cake loved by all in my family! This one’s a keeper! Definitely plan on making this again.
Hi Marietta, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
I this is the second time to make this cake and it’s always turn super moist and yummy 😋
Hi Isabelle, thanks so much, so glad you like it. Take care and have a great weekend!
This cake is a winner in my house and beyond. Thank you!
I follow the recipe strictly, but every single time it deflates as soon as I get it out of the oven. I have no idea what I am doing wrong! I bake all the time and it only happens with this particular cake recipe. I use a fan oven and I have tried turning the temperature down a bit.
Help!
Hi Fbaj, that’s strange. Be sure you don’t check it before 30 minutes has passed, try making it in a bundt pan, that helps, also try beating for a little time. Let me know. Glad you liked it though. Take care!
Made this last night and just tried the first slice today. It was really good. Such a simple recipe l am most impressed. Thank you
Hi Marian, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
I would RATE 10 STARS if possible. This cake is very tender and pillow like, it has been made more than once and everyone enjoys. Easy and delicious. Can’t get over how soft and tender this cake is w/o being crumbly. GREAT RECIPE. Thank you.
Hi Jessie, thanks so much, so glad you and everyone enjoys it. Take care and have a great week!
I’ve made this case numerous times and it’s always a hit! I wanted to ask if this freezes well?
Hi Sonia, thanks so much, glad you enjoy it. And yes it does freeze well, be sure to cool the cake completely, then wrap it tightly in either plastic wrap or foil, place it in a freeze bag or container. The cake will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When ready to thaw it, place the wrapped cake in the refrigerator to thaw before serving. Hope that helps.
Loved this cake! I put apple wedges on the top and the cake puffed up around them making it decorative and tasty!
Hi Kelly, thanks so much, great idea with the apple wedges. Take care and have a great weekend!
This was absolutely delicious!! Thank you for such a gorgeous recipe! The cake is so soft and well risen! I can never get them like that usually 😍
Hi Romy, thanks so much, so glad you liked it. Take care and have a great week!
It’s in the oven -can’t wait- but was nearly caught out by the metric measurements not being doubled!
Hi Sal, I hope you enjoy it. Oh ok I am going to see if that can be changed. Thanks, take care!
Can this be made with “flax eggs” for an eggless version?
Hi Sonia, I have never made it with flax eggs, but you could try it. If you do let me know how it goes. Take care!
Just wanted to let you know that I’ve made this many times with flax eggs and it turns out perfect every time!
Hi Sonia, great thanks for letting me know. Take care and have a wonderful weekend!
This looks delicious. What type of brown sugar – soft brown or a demerara?
Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Laura, thanks, soft brown sugar, I use lightly golden. I hope you like it. Take care!
Thanks – making it today.