Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake -from Lindsay Conchar’s (creator of the blog – Life, Love, and Sugar) new cookbook, Simply Beautiful – Homemade Cakes. This cake is an 8-inch three layer cake with each layer covered in a cinnamon glaze and completely frosted with an incredible cinnamon frosting. It’s like a cinnamon roll in the form of dessert!
This cake…
I am SO very happy to introduce you to Lindsay Conchar, founder of the blog Life, Love and Sugar, AND newly published author!! Her brand spanking new cookbook, Simply Beautiful Homemade Cakes: Extraordinary Recipes and Easy Decorating Techniques was released last week.
This Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake is from Lindsay’s new cookbook, Simply Beautiful Homemade and it’s like a cinnamon roll for dessert!
This cake is unbelievable! There’s just a touch of cinnamon in each of the three layers, a delicious cinnamon glaze that’s spread on top of each layer and then that frosting…
It complements the cake beautifully. If you love cinnamon rolls, you’re going to love this cake. Think of it as a breakfast treat for dessert!
I had the honor of meeting Lindsay at our Blog N’ Bake retreat back in March. She made her Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, so I was over-the-moon excited when she’d told us that she was coming out with a cookbook!
Like this Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake, take a look at these other great cakes that my fellow food bloggers have made from Lindsay’s book…
Caramel Apple Cheesecake from Crazy for Crust
Maple Streusel Pumpkin Cake from Lemon Tree Dwelling
Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake from Beyond Frosting
Mocha Nutella Cupcakes from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Tiramisu Cake from The First Year
I have SO many talented blogger friends with so many great cookbooks. It is really pretty awesome.
While I do own a blog, 365 Days of Baking & More, I don’t have too many layer cakes because I’m not one to decorate them.
I’m going to be honest, I don’t have the patience and I discovered already knew when I began frosting this one that I’m a wee bit of a perfectionist. I wanted to make sure everything was covered just so and that the frosting was spread evenly on top of each layer.
It took me a while, but then again everything does when I’m in the kitchen. Which is why you’ll never see on my recipes how long a recipe should take you to make. I ain’t going there.
BUT, what I’m trying to say is, that if I can make this cake, so can you and any of the other incredible recipes Lindsay has in her book. She’s also included in the back of the book step-by-step tutorial WITH pictures from frosting, to making a crumb coat, down to the decorative piping. She’s got it all so that people knew to cake making won’t be intimidated.
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Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake
Equipment
- (3) 8-inch round baking pans
- parchment paper
- large mixing bowls
- Mixer
- serrated knife
- offset spatulas
Ingredients
Cake Layers
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 6 large egg whites room temperature, divided
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk room temperature
- ¼ cup water room temperature
Cinnamon Frosting
- 1 ½ cups salted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups vegetable shortening
- 12 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ cup water or milk room temperature
Cinnamon Sugar Glaze
- 5 tbsp. powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. light brown sugar loosely packed
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. water
Instructions
Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of 3 (8-inch) cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add 3 of the egg whites and mix until well combined. Add the 3 remaining egg whites and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is combined.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.
- Combine the milk and water in a small measuring cup.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix until combined.
- Add the milk mixture to the batter and mix until combined.
- Add the remaining half of the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake the cakes for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them from the pans and transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooking.
Cinnamon Frosting
- Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.
- Slowly add 6 cups of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and water or milk and mix until smooth.
- Slowly add the remaining 6 cups powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Set the frosting aside.
Cinnamon Sugar Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the water and whisk until smooth.
Cake Assembly
- Using a large serrated knife, remove the domes from the tops of the cakes so that they're flat.
- Place the first cake on a serving plate or cardboard cake round. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon glaze over the cake layer. Allow it to soak into the cake.
- Spread 1 cup of cinnamon frosting in an even layer on top of the cake.
- Repeat this process with the second layer of cake, glaze and frosting, then add the final layer cake on top.
- Add a crumb coat to the cake and then frost the sides and the top.
- Add the horizontal stripes by lightly pressing a 9-inch offset spatula on the side of the cake while gently turning.
- Pipe a shell border around the outside edge of the cake.
- Finish by sprinkling some ground cinnamon on top of the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake then you’ll enjoy…
Easy Tiramisu Poke Cake
Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cake
Mama’s 7Up Pound Cake
Oreo Cake
It is so perfect Lynne! I want to reach right into the screen! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Thank you, Lindsay! It was fun to make.
You’re very welcome! We absolutely loved it and I’m SO happy to share your cookbook. You are SO very talented and I can’t wait for the next one!
Hi Lynne! I was looking at the cinnamon roll layer cake because it looks so good! I think there is a typo because for the icing ingredients it says to add 12 cups of icing sugar.There is no way that could be right. Thanks!
Carrie, I know that the 12 cups of confectioners’ sugar seems to be a lot, but that’s the exact amount called for in Lindsay’s cookbook.
Ok,thanks Lynne!
Yea. This cake is ungodly sweet. Serve with a side of insulin. Agreed, it’s fun to make, though.
This looks amazing! One question…what is a crumb coat??
Judy, the crumb coat is a very light covering of frosting that covers the entire cake. It goes on before you’re ready to completely frost it. The purpose of the crumb coat is to prevent any crumbs from the cake being pulled into the thicker layer of frosting.
You can read more about it here: http://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-a-crumb-coat-230666
Can the frosting be made with butter instead of shortening? If so, Any idea what the amount would be?
Kathy, unfortunately I don’t feel comfortable answering that question because it isn’t my original recipe, so I’m going to send you right to the source. Lindsay from Life, Love and Sugar. If you leave a comment under her post of the Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake, I’m sure she’d be happy to respond. Here’s the link: http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2016/10/26/cinnamon-roll-layer-cake/
I made it with all butter and it was amazing! I also made this into cupcake form, because it was easier for the teachers at my kids school to eat. I just scooped a little bit of the cake out of the middle of each cupcake and drizzled about a teaspoon of the cinnamon glaze in each one before putting a little dollop of frosting on top. I actually doubled the glaze portion so put more glaze and less frosting (as the frosting is really sweet. )
This cake is amazing. I made it today but made a cinnamon cream cheese frosting instead. It was sweet, but not as sweet and it got rave reviews.
Great idea, Michaele. That’s what I love about recipes, you can adapt them to your own taste and many times they turn out just as great. Thanks for letting me know.
I tried the cake and it fell flat. We’re the egg whites supposed to be whipped before adding?
Looking to make this for my husbands birthday. It calls for cinnamon and ground cinnamon. What exactly kind of cinnamon is needed besides ground cinnamon?
Natasha, the cinnamon and ground cinnamon are one in the same. I just neglected to use the word ground throughout. I’ll be fixing that. Thanks for letting me know!Happy Birthday to your husband, hope he enjoys the cake.
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hello. i just made the cake but can i refrigerate it, please? its for tomorrow.
Severine, it can definitely be refrigerated.
I would like to use this cake for a tiered wedding cake. Do the cake layers (unfrosted) freeze well? I am baking 2 wedding cakes, and need to do some “advance baking”, with assembly planned for the day before the wedding. I have experience making wedding cakes, but not this one, obviously!
Kathy, that’s awesome! I’m sure it will be beautiful!!
I spoke with Lindsay and she recommends wrapping each layer in clear plastic wrap, and then again in aluminum foil before freezing. To defrost, put them into the fridge. I hope that helps. We’d love to see them if you post them to Instagram by tagging @lifeloveandsugar and @365daysofbaking.
Have fun with it and happy baking!
If freezing, would you recommend adding the glaze before placing in the freezer? Or after you let it thaw? Looks delicious!
Joy, I would allow the cake to thaw first. Not sure how it would taste or what effect freezing it would have.
I just made the cinnamon roll cake. I have a request for a grooms cake and needed a recipe. It is SUPERB!! I used the cinnamon glaze as well as Cinnabon’s Maple cream cheese frosting between layers. It is now my daughters request for her birthday cake later this week.
Ah, LauraBeth, thank you! That is so wonderful to hear and I love the idea of the maple cream cheese frosting. YUM!
What a great cake for a birthday, too! Hope your daughter had a great one. Please wish her a Happy Belated one for me!
Hi Lynne, I’m going to try making this cake for my wife’s birthday this weekend and I want to be sure I get it right.
What does the crumb coat consist of? I didn’t see a description of how to prepare it and I don’t have much experience baking. Also, does it cover the sides and top of the cake?
Hi Tom!
A crumb coat is a very thin layer of frosting placed onto the sides and top of the cake before the final layer of frosting is added. It helps to “seal” in any crumbs that may come off while frosting the cake, preventing crumby lumps in the frosting. Here’s a video from Martha Stewart that helps explain it and shows how to do it.
https://www.marthastewart.com/964898/htb104-how-crumb-coat-cake-web-version-hi-resmov
I’m so excited that you’re making this for her birthday – how wonderful!! Please wish her a happy birthday for me and if you’re on Instagram, I’d love for you to tag me @365daysofbaking so I can see it. Have fun with it and enjoy every bite! It’s a delicious cake!
I am a 15 year old who loves to bake and i am so glad i stumbled upon this recipe. This is by far the best cake i’ve ever made!! It only lasted 2 days in our house everyone loved it so much. However there was an insane amount of frosting left over… not complaining though cuz i’ve been eating the frosting plain throughout the day it was so good.