Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

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Glazed Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake — A very fast and straightforward cinnamon coffee cake to make and isn’t fussy at all. It’s moist, dense, and way easier to make than actual cinnamon rolls!

glazed cinnamon roll coffee cake on a glass cake stand

Easy Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake Recipe

I love cinnamon rolls, but they’re a bit time consuming to make. This cinnamon coffee cake is not.

No actual cinnamon rolls are made for this coffee cake so for those of you who still have bread-with-yeast fears, you’re safe. Instead, this cake just tastes like a big warm buttery cinnamon roll, without any of the time or effort that goes into making them.

I have a fondness for streusel and crumble toppings and could make a meal with just those cinnamon and brown sugar buttery bits that always seem to be in far too short of supply. With this cake, there’s plentiful streusel, forming pits and valleys over the surface of the cake, as well as being woven throughout the interior.

overhead view of a glazed cinnamon roll coffee cake

The cake tastes like a cinnamon roll, but in a cinnamon-roll-meets-cake way. Minus the effort or extended waiting period that goes into making cinnamon rolls.

It has the perfect balance of density, not too dense like a pound cake, but not too airy or light like an angel food, and it was just how I like coffee cakes. And between the sour cream, oil, and butter this cake stayed plenty moist. The butter used in both the cake batter and in the filling-topping mixture also helped to emulate the buttery, smooth, rich qualities of cinnamon rolls.

I used cinnamon twice, both in the batter as well as in the filling-topping mixture. I wanted to know I was eating a cinnamon roll or cinnamon roll-cake, operative word being cinnamon.

I am a big cinnamon fan and find most recipes to be lackluster in cinnamon oomph and and intensity. That’s not the case here and if you’re a person who blindly doubles the cinnamon in most recipes like I tend to do, taste the batter before doing so because it’s balanced, but quite well-spiced.

slice of cinnamon coffee cake on a glass plate

The sweet, creamy, and slightly tangy cream cheese glaze gives this version of a cinnamon roll extra authenticity. It was especially satisfying watching the glaze sink into the nooks and crannies of the slightly crunchy and irregular surface layer, knowing that some of it would penetrate into the body of the cake. Those are my favorite bites.

It would be a perfect cake to serve at a brunch, holiday party, baby or bridal shower, or any time you need a solid cake, without any solid work. The cake, from start to finish, is a one hour project, including baking time. Not too shabby.

I really enjoyed this cinnamon coffee cake, but I had no idea that my family was going to love it as much as they did. They were genuinely disappointed when it was gone. Everyone here clearly loves their cinnamon rolls.

side view of a glazed cinnamon coffee cake on a glass cake stand

What’s in Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake? 

To make this cinnamon roll coffee cake recipe, you’ll need: 

  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Sour cream
  • Eggs
  • Canola oil
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon 
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Light brown sugar
  • Cream cheese
  • Milk
  • Confectioners’ sugar 

slice of glazed cinnamon streusel coffee cake on a glass plate

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

To make the cake, begin by beating together butter and sugar, and after it’s nice and fluffy, a solid amount of sour cream is added to the batter. The sour cream ensures this cake stays moist and tender.

Too often coffee cakes are wickedly dry and crumbly and they could literally be called crumble cakes, and that wouldn’t be a compliment. I think they get their name because most of them are so dry that coffee is mandatory in order to wash down the dry crumbly mess.

In addition to the sour cream, I added a bit of canola oil because oil keeps cakes moist and soft. I wanted to ensure this cake was anything but dry and pulled out all the tricks.

Pour the cake batter in a 9-inch springform pan and make sure the pan you’re using is at least three inches high. 

glazed cinnamon streusel coffee cake on a glass cake stand

All good cinnamon rolls have a scrumptious filling that’s buttery and cinnamon-sugary and after making the cake batter, I made a mixture that worked double-duty, both as the filling for the cinnamon rolls as well as a stresuel-like topping layer.

To make the filling-topping mixture, combine a very soft, almost melted, stick of butter with one cup of brown sugar and hearty pinch of cinnamon.

The butter needs to be very soft in order to be whipped together with the brown sugar and cinnamon but it shouldn’t be fully liquified. The butter can either be softened for an hour or more at room temperature on the counter, or you can achieve the same goal in about twelve seconds in the microwave.

After beating it together, it will look like a ridiculously large amount of a gritty, granular substance and you’ll wonder if this could be right. It is.

piece of cinnamon coffee cake on a fork

Use the filling-topping mixture as if you were going to frost a cake, and ‘frost’ the cake batter by spreading the mixture over the top of it. After it’s all nice and smooth, you’re going to make a mess of it.

Take a butter knife or table knife and marble the mixture throughout the cake batter, going up and back; repeat. Back and forth, back and forth. I got pretty aggressive with my up-and-backing in order to really drive the mixture into the interior cake so the ‘cinnamon rolls’ had plenty of filling.

Cinnamon rolls are not complete with frosting or glaze, and I love cream cheese frosting on cinnamon rolls. While the cake baked, I made an easy cream cheese glaze to drizzle on top.

Feel free to skip the drizzle and use more of a pouring technique, which is my preferred method. I like a little cake with my frosting and after the pictures were done, there was a frosting freeflow free-for-all.

glazed cinnamon roll coffee cake on a cake stand with a slice missing

Do I Have to Use a Springform Pan? 

If you don’t have a springform pan, the cinnamon streusel coffee cake can also be baked in a nine-inch square pan, but do not use a nine-inch round cake pan as round cake pans hold less overall volume than square pans. Plus, they’re typically only an inch or two tall and you’d have a cake-tastrophe.

Can I Freeze Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake? 

I haven’t frozen this particular cake, but I’m sure it’d be fine. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then seal inside a freezer bag. You may want to freeze without the glaze to ensure the texture remains the same. 

slice of cinnamon roll coffee cake on a glass plate with a bite missing

How to Store Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

If you prefer to refrigerate cream-cheese based glaze, you may wish to only glaze individual pieces of cake immediately prior to serving them and store the glaze in small container in the refrigerator, as opposed to refrigerating the entire glazed cake, which will cause it to dry out.

Or, you can glaze the cake and store it at room temperature anyway, as everyone has different food storage comfort levels. 

Cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Glazed Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake — A very fast and straightforward cinnamon coffee cake to make and isn't fussy at all. It's moist, dense, and way easier to make than actual cinnamon rolls!

Tips for Making Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

As a baking precaution, place the springform pan on a baking sheet in case your pan doesn’t have a perfectly tight seal. Nothing like the smell of cake batter as it drips onto the bottom of the oven and chars. Whenever I bake with a springform pan I always place it on top of a baking sheet as just-in-case insurance.

As the baking time draws near a close, be sure to keep an eye on the cake because the butter and brown sugar will be prone to burning. Caramelization and crisping up is one thing, burning is another.

Because ovens vary and so do preferences, I recommend keeping a very watchful eye on the cake and hanging around the kitchen in the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.

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4.43 from 14 votes

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

By Averie Sunshine
A very fast and straightforward cinnamon coffee cake to make and isn't fussy at all. It's moist, dense, and way easier to make than actual cinnamon rolls!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
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Ingredients  

For the Cake

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (half of one stick)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup sour cream, Greek yogurt may be substituted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste

For the Filling-Topping

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, extremely soft and almost melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened (whipped or light are okay)
  • 2 tablespoons cream or milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup+ confectioners' sugar, sifted is ideal

Instructions 

Make the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 9-inch springform pan (at least 3 inches high) by spraying well with floured cooking spray (I use Pam for Baking) or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
  • To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, granulated sugar, and cream together until pale, light, and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium-high to high speed.
  • Add the sour cream, eggs, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and beat until smooth and incorporated, about 3 minutes on medium-high to high speed.
  • Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and beat until just incorporated and batter is smooth, about 1 minute on medium speed.
  • Spread batter into prepared pan; set aside.

Make the Filling / Topping:

  • In a medium-microwave safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power until it just begins to melt, about 1 minute.
  • Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and beat with a spoon or whisk until combined.
  • Spread filling over the top of the cake batter in an even, smooth, flat layer, as if you're frosting a cake. Then, using a table knife, swirl back and forth to marble the filling into the cake batter, going over the cake and going up and back a few times. I swirled fairly aggressively for about 1 minute, in order to try to drive the filling deeper into the cake batter.
  • Place pan on a baking sheet (as insurance in case your springform pan doesn't have a perfect seal) and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until topping has set and a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Note that in the final minutes of baking, topping may have a tendency to burn near the edges as the butter browns and the brown sugar caramelizes; watch cake closely.
  • Allow cake to cool in pan and rest on baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before glazing it, or before removing it from the pan and serving.

Make the Glaze:

  • In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cream, vanilla and whisk until combined and smooth.
  • Slowly add the confectioners' sugar, whisking to incorporate and until smooth. Based on desired glaze consistency, playing with the sugar and cream ratios may be necessary.
  • Evenly drizzle the glaze over cake and serve.

Notes

Baking pan: A 9-inch square baking pan may be substituted if it's at least 3 inches in height. Don't use a 9-inch round cake pan because it's too shallow.
Storage: If you prefer to refrigerate cream-cheese based glaze, you may wish to only glaze individual pieces of cake immediately prior to serving them and store the glaze in small container in the refrigerator, as opposed to refrigerating the entire glazed cake, which will cause it to dry out. Or, you can glaze the cake and store it at room temperature anyway, as everyone has different food storage comfort levels.
Cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 592kcal, Carbohydrates: 78g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 207mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 57g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

More Easy Coffee Cake Recipes:

Buttery Crumb Coffee Cake â€” his coffee crumb cake recipe couldn’t be easier to make! It’s made with boxed yellow cake mix, which is used in both the batter and the crumble topping.

Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake — A FAST and EASY no-mixer pumpkin coffee cake with rich pumpkin flavor!! Super soft, tender, and topped with the BEST crumble topping that you’ll fall in love with!

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake — An EASY, no-mixer cake studded with juicy blueberries and topped with big buttery streusel nuggets that are just SO GOOD!! Not overly sweet and PERFECT with a cup of coffee for breakfast, brunch, or a snack!!

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Coffee Cake — Between the cinnamon-sugar crust AND the cinnamon-sugar swirled through the center, this EASY coffee cake is IRRESISTIBLE!! Soft, fluffy, light, and of course it’s perfect with coffee!!

Vanilla Coffee Cake — It’s fluffy soft, sweet, creamy, and as a happy accident, it turned out very close in taste and texture to boxed yellow cake mix cake, which I have a nostalgic love for.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coffee Cake — In contrast to the cake, the slightly crunchy brown sugar top layer is buttery, firm, crispy and flakey, and nicely complements the springy, bouncy cake.

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. Oh my, this is another recipe that I am pinning and printing. We love coffee cakes, especially ones that taste like cinnamon buns. I don’t have the patience to make cinnamon rolls either. I like breakfast or after school snacks like this, that can be made ahead of time. Great recipe Averie!
    xoxo,
    Jackie

  2. Hi there,

    I will feature your lovely recipe on my blog the 1st of December. I hope this is ok?

    Cheers!

    Johanna

    1. The batter itself, yes. The filling-topping mixture, although you could dot it onto the tops of 18-ish muffins I’d guess, it would be a PAIN. It’s sort of thick to work with and unless you had a real specific reason why you had to turn it into muffins, I’d recommend sticking with a large cake, either the springform pan like I used or a 9×9 pan would work, too. It’s just not a recipe that would covert easily or well to muffins I don’t think.

      1. Good to know. :) I have a holiday breakfast party next week and was thinking these would be cute as muffins, but I hear ya, not worth the pain or stickiness. ;) Thanks!

      2. And as a whole cake it would be much more impressive It’s a really pretty cake all assembled!

  3. You know what, an Indian festival Diwali just got over. And festival means lots and lot of good food with oodles of richness. And here I am, looking at your pics and drooling again! Detox can wait!!

  4. Woah Nelly. This looks so good! All that awesome crunchiness on top of soft cake…dreamy.

  5. I’m definitely making this on Christmas Eve to eat on Christmas morning. A fresh cup of coffee and a piece of this, yum.

  6. Averie, this cake looks absolutely amazing! This is seriously my kind of cake, loaded with streusel topping and that glaze everywhere. I could probably eat the entire thing.

  7. OH MY GOODNESS!!

    This looks beyond amazing! I am trying to come up with an excuse to have a brunch party (like this weekend) just so that I can make this cake & not eat it all without sharing. Beautiful photos with a cake that from the sounds of it tastes about as amazing as it looks!!

    1. Thanks for the flattering comment – I appreciate it! And I say you come up with that brunch excuse!

  8. Awesome. My kids absolutely love cinnamon rolls and honestly, who has the time to make them, unless it is for a special occasion? This cake looks like the perfect alternative! Cinnamon, glaze that oozes into the cracks?! LOVE that. It looks so good I can almost smell it! You are so right, coffee cakes can often be dry. I love how you add so many components to keep it moist. Another winner, Averie! :-)

  9. Secretly, I’ve never been a fan of coffee cakes! Just as you said, they tend to be dry. (There’s nothing worse than having a clump of dough stuck in your throat…all those calories for naught.) ;)

    Since we’re on the same page when it comes to coffee cakes, and because your photos are so mouth-watering, I think this cake may be The coffee cake I’ve been looking for! Plus I adore anything involving cinnamon and cream cheese.

  10. I LOVE cinnimon and I love breakfasts that can double for dessert (my diet doesn;t, but its holiday time who cares) :-). This looks soo good! My mouth is watering!