Snickerdoodle Cake — The interior of this addicting snickerdoodle cake is soft, buttery, dense, and has an almost pound cake-like texture. The cinnamon-sugar filling is my favorite part!
Easy Snickerdoodle Cake Recipe
I love snickerdoodles and have taken the cinnamon-sugar flavor of the beloved cookie and worked it into bars, blondies, breads, and various cookies. It was about time to make a snickerdoodle cake.
Snickerdoodle fans are going to be in heaven with this bundt cake. The interior is soft, buttery, dense, and has an almost pound cake-like texture. Greek yogurt (or sour cream) helps keep the cake moist and also provides an ever-so-slight tanginess that snickerdoodle cookies have.
The snickerdoodle cake is coated with cinnamon-sugar and there’s a cinnamon-sugar filling that runs through the center of the cake. It’s a happy tunnel of cinnamon-sugar love that turns crunchy while the cake bakes. The texture contrast of the crunchy crust and filling with the tender crumb of the cake is wonderful.
My family raved about the cake, saying it was the best coffee cake ever and told me I should start selling it.
Being that it’s already coated with cinnamon-sugar, there’s no need to make frosting or spend time frosting a cake. A win-win.
What’s in This Snickerdoodle Cake?
To make this snickerdoodle bundt cake recipe, you’ll need:
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cake
Before making the cake batter, you’ll need to prep the bundt pan. Generously spray the pan with cooking spray, then evenly coat with cinnamon-sugar. Once that’s done, make the batter.
Cream together the butter, sugars, and eggs, adding each ingredient one at a time, being sure to whip the mixture thoroughly between each addition. Stir in the yogurt and dry ingredients, then turn half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, then top with remaining batter.
Bake the snickerdoodle cake until the top is lightly golden brown and set, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Don’t overbake because the cinnamon-sugar crust will become overly crunchy.
Can I Make This in a Regular Cake Pan?
No, the cake batter won’t fit in a single 9-inch round cake pan. I’ve only ever made this as a bundt cake, but if you don’t have a bundt pan you may be able to use a 9×13-inch pan instead.
Can I Freeze Snickerdoodle Cake?
Most likely, but I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure.
Tips for Making Snickerdoodle Cake
When preparing the bundt pan, you will only need about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cinnamon-sugar, but try to evenly coat the inside surface of the pan, including the tube. You want to get into every nook and cranny of your pan with the cinnamon-sugar!
When making this cake, be sure to follow my instructions to a tee. You really need to take the time to properly cream together the wet ingredients, otherwise your pound cake will turn out incredibly dense.
Note that I used 0% fat Greek yogurt in this recipe, but any plain Greek yogurt or sour cream will work.
Pin This Recipe
Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
The interior of this addicting snickerdoodle cake is soft, buttery, dense, and has an almost pound cake-like texture. The cinnamon-sugar filling is my favorite part!
Ingredients
For Preparing the Pan and Creating the Filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
For the Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream (I used Greek yogurt)
Instructions
- To a small bowl, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and whisk to combine; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Generously spray a 9-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan with floured cooking spray (or grease the pan with shortening), being careful to cover all the nooks and crannies, as well as the center tube. Gently dust the entire inside of the pan with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. You will only need about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cinnamon-sugar, but try to evenly coat the inside surface of the pan, including the tube.
- Save the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture for layering in as the filling; set everything aside.
- To a large bowl, add the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
- To the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer), add the butter and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the brown sugar and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture looks light brown and uniform in color, about 2 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed for 1 minute after each egg.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla and mix on medium speed to incorporate, about 30 seconds.
- Add half the flour mixture, half the Greek yogurt or sour cream, and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add the remaining flour mixture, remaining Greek yogurt or sour cream, and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Turn half the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. The batter is quite thick and that’s okay.
- Evenly sprinkle the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of the batter, which creates the filling as the cake bakes.
- Turn the remaining batter out into the pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for 55 to 62 minutes (I baked for 59 minutes), or until top is lightly golden brown and set, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Don’t overbake because the cinnamon-sugar crust will become overly crunchy.
- Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Preparing the Pan
Making the Cake
Notes
Recipe adapted from Dozen Flours.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 488Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 328mgCarbohydrates: 105gFiber: 2gSugar: 73gProtein: 9g
More Snickerdoodle Recipes:
The Best Snickerdoodles — Soft, pillowy puffs that are so irresistible! The closest recipe to Mrs. Fields snickerdoodles that you’ll find!
Soft and Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles — 3 favorites combined! Soft molasses cookies, chewy gingerbread and crinkly snickerdoodles!
Soft and Chewy Sugar-Doodle Vanilla Cookies – Part soft sugar cookie, part chewy snickerdoodle, with tons of rich vanilla flavor!
Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Chip Snickerdoodle Cookies – Buttery soft snickerdoodles loaded with cinnamon chips! They’re for those who usually need to double the cinnamon in recipes just to get enough pop!
The Best Snickerdoodle Bars — They taste just like snickerdoodle cookies in fast and easy bar form! Soft, chewy, buttery…So irresistible!!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies — Soft pumpkin bars, cinnamon-sugary snickerdoodles, and buttery blondies rolled into one!
Cinnamon-Sugar Mini Donut-Topped Snickerdoodle Cake — Can’t decide between donuts or coffee cake for breakfast? You can have them both in this soft, easy, one-bowl, no-mixer cake that’s a crowd favorite!
Snickerdoodle Bread — Bread that tastes like snickerdoodle cookies! Loaded with cinnamon chips and a cinnamon-sugar crust!
Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies — The cookies are easy to make and are slightly chewy around the edges with soft, pillowy centers. The chai spices give the cookies so much depth of flavor.
What about turning this into muffins? Bake time?
Normally muffins take about 20 minutes, give or take. 350F should be fine.
There is a Bakery about 20.miles from my home that sales a Snickerdoodle Cake.$30.00 .I have to admit your recipe is so much better. Thank you very much and I saved money..This recipe is going into the family cookbook. My family loves this cake.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this recipe is so much better than the bakery’s and is going into your family cookbook!
This cake is like Mary Poppins–practically perfect in every way. It’s sweet (although not cloyingly so) and the cinnamon comes through beautifully. The sugar/cinnamon dusting of the pan makes the outside delightfully crisp. It does taste more like a coffee cake than a snickerdoodle to me, which is actually a plus because I’d been searching for a good coffee cake recipe for months with no luck. One change I did make: instead of batter/filling/batter, I did three layers of batter & two of filling. I believe that having two thinner layers of sugar instead of a single thick one, combined with a careful eye on the clock (it was baked perfectly at 55 minutes), helped prevent the filling from becoming too crunchy to eat. Next time I make it–and there *will* be a next time–I will also add some toasted pecans to make it taste even more like a coffee cake.TL/DR: Awesome coffee cake; split the filling into two layers and don’t overbake = PERFECTION.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this cake was Mary Poppins-ish for you! I love your analogy. Also the cinnamon/sugar dusting of the pan, yes it adds the perfect outside crispiness!
Coffee cake…OMG make this one https://www.averiecooks.com/glazed-pumpkin-coffee-cake/ I realize it’s not pumpkin season, but so so good.
Also this one https://www.averiecooks.com/blueberry-streusel-coffee-cake/
From cake mix, very good! https://www.averiecooks.com/buttery-crumb-coffee-cake/
Hi! Just stopping by to say this is absolutely delicious!!!! Everyone loved it!! I’m just curious as to what can I do to avoid the sugar in the middle to crystalize, because Sometimes when taking a bite I do feel hard sugar clumps. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong. I’d appreciate your feedback. Other than that this is just spectacular!
Hmmmm that is a problem I’ve never had. I would do some research on Google, there are tons of baking forums out there, that may be able to crack the code on this.
Maybe try superfine sugar?
Or… Also I only use C & H brand sugar, both brown and white. This is a situation where store brands or other brands just don’t perform for me, and in particular I find the white sugar really granular and it doesn’t dissolve as well as C & H. Maybe this could help you.
OMGGGGG! *5 STARS!! I’ve been looking for a snickerdoodle recipe for awhile now but dreaded the laborious trial/error routine of trying different ones! But I tried this one first & absolutely hit the jackpot!!! Thank you so much for sharing your gift w/the world! I doing the snickerdoodle cookies next! Btw, can you advise which of your other delicacies I should head towards next? Thx in advance!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this recipe was the jackpot for you!
I have sooo many desserts. It is seriously hard to pick a favorite! Everyone loves my Starbucks Lemon Loaf Copycat or this Crustless Blueberry Pie, both are very easy.
https://www.averiecooks.com/best-lemon-loaf-better-starbucks-copycat/
https://www.averiecooks.com/crustless-blueberry-pie/
Also, is there a snickerdoodle cupcake recipe?
I haven’t made cupcakes from this recipe so can’t give any specific advise other than to pour batter into cupcake molds and bake for 20 mins or so and see what happens.
Yesterday, made this cake, and it did not work. The half cup of sugar and cinnamon turned out hard. Did anyone else experience this? Thanks, Mike
No I have never had that issue nor have I had anyone say the cake didn’t work. I am think that it could have been overbaked if it turned out hard.
My family loved the cake they ate around the hard sugar center. I baked it for 59 minutes.
I also got a slightly hard sugar center. It was just soft enough the crush into crumbles so I still ate it. Hopefully baking it for less time next time will do the trick.
Have you tried substituting brown sugar in the filling? My coffee cake uses brown sugar, cinnamon, & cocoa :) Anxious to try your recipe!
Thank you!
I’ve only made it just like this. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this cake today, awesome, recipe and directions were spot on, will be making this again
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you’ll be making it again!
Thank you for this recipe! My husband’s favorite cookie is a snickerdoodle so I made this for his birthday. There’s so much sugar/cinnamon that I honestly thought there would be a big hunk of sugar goo in the middle after it baked, but was pleasantly surprised when we cut the first piece. Looks pretty much like your picture. The cake smells so good and tastes even better. I used the yogurt. It baked up perfectly.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that it baked up perfectly!
Made this cake, first time snicker doddle fan lol, it is amazing. Made it for Memorial day and may have make another one as my husband is in love, this is only Saturday night lol. I used sour cream and did have to bake 74 minutes total.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that it was so good that you may be making another one!
Oh i forgot to ask – will freezing the final cake work?
I haven’t tried it so cannot say what it will taste like upon thawing. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Made two of these for a bake sale and wow! Did I receive such great compliments from both parties! I made this and and it was such a hit. I will definitely be making the snickerdoodle bundt cake again for Christmas. Thank you for your recipes. They are always a success for me!
Thanks for the 5 star recipe and glad this cake has been a hit!
Just made this and my daughter and I just sampled it!!! High five!! It is a hit!! This is so easy to make, and love the fact no frosting needed. Can’t wait to see what my husband thinks. Thank you so much for posting this recipe, it is a keeper!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a huge hit!!
My mom and I have made this cake and love it … she adds chopped pecans to the filling. A really great variation for nut lovers!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you both love it! I bet the pecans are great for the nut lovers!
Hey Averie,Hope you are well :) Just wanted to find out if I can substitute the sour cream with diy buttermilk because that’s all I have on hand?Thanks!
Not sure….I worry that it will be too thin/runny and will water the batter down; I wouldn’t.
Has anyone ran into the issue of baking it for an hour at 325 but it’s not baked yet. Like the top is golden but the interior is still liquid?! I’m using a silicone cake pan.
I think it could be the silicone pan. I used a metal bundt pan and I know they cook differently and I would recommend sticking with metal in the future for this cake since that’s the way the recipe is written.
Hey Averie, I’m about to try these but i wanted to ask if the same recipe can be used in a 9″x 5″ loaf pan? Thanks!!
I don’t think so because the bundt pan holds more volume and cooks more evenly for a cake than a loaf pan would.
Thanks so much! I love how you reply so quickly :)?
It was definately the best cinnamon cake I’ve ever eaten. Gorgeous. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Glad it’s the best cinnamon cake you’ve ever eaten!
Do you think this would come out as delicious if it was baked in a regular cake pan? I don’t have a bundt pan.
I haven’t tried it that way so can’t speak to results. You definitely cannot use just a ‘regular cake pan’; you’d need at least a 9x13pan.
I recently made this cake and it was awesome! It is now one of my favs! I absolutely LOVE the crunchy cinnamon/sugar! I took it to work and everyone asked for the recipe! Thank you for sharing!! :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
I’m baking this cake as we speak! I have a big potluck tomorrow, and I think my friends will all love this! Also, the smell of this cake as it bakes is *incredible*
-Claire
tallgirlbigworld.com
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m sure it will be a hit! And yes the smell, incredible! And I hope you tried some cake batter…it was.so.good. :)
This cake looks amazing. Just wondering….have you ever tried putting mini chocolate chips OR cinnamon chips inside? Can’t decide if it would be overload or not.
Also, your Snickerdoodle Bars? So amazing!!! Thank you for those!
Haven’t tried either kind of chip but I think cinnamon chips could be awesome in this cake! So glad you love the Snickerdoodle Bars!
This is, quite possibly, the BEST CAKE EVER. All that cinnamon sugar!!!
Thanks for pinning and yes a cake that tasted like snickerdoodles was…dangerous and one of my fave cakes!
I went out and bought a Bundt pan just for this recipe. I used Egg Beaters instead of real egg, and a mix of regular vanilla yogurt and sour cream because it’s what I had on hand.
The batter tasted exactly like a snickerdoodle cookie. I baked 55 minutes exactly.
So yummy! It tasted a lot like cinnamon bread, but lighter. Next time I’ll use only greek yogurt or sour cream to add tanginess. Either way, it’s delicious! I’ll definitely make this again. Sharing it tomorrow with everyone at my clinical rotation. Tomorrow is midterm review and this will definitely put the people grading me in a good mood. ;-)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! With egg beaters and regular (non greek) yogurt! That’s wonderful! You are very kind to share this with everyone at your rotation, and good luck!
Reporting back: I got rave reviews, mostly on the cake but also on my performance at my rotation. ;-) Got many requests for this recipe.
That’s awesome feedback about the cake and requests for the recipe, too! And congrats on your great performance!
I have made several of your recipes and none have disappointed. This is no exception. I made it today. I used light sour cream because it was all I had on hand. It came out wonderful!!!! Perfect coffee cake. Thanks for the awesome recipes and photos.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And for trying it on the same weekend I posted it and so glad all my other recipes have been a success for you, too!
Looks delicious and love your website! Do you use non-fat yogurt or regular?
I used 0% Fage Greek yogurt for this one.
Averie,
I am definitely making this cake. I love bundt cakes and this one looks fantastic.
Annamaria
I used to make a similar cake years ago and it was delicious. And yours looks amazing, triggering memories.
Well done!
This looks and sounds amazing! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
I was never a fan of snickerdoodles when I was a kid. Man, I’m glad I got over that. Now I love them. This cake looks so moist and tender. I love the texture Greek yogurt gives cakes.
Such a great idea & delicious looking cake Averie!
Gorgeous!! I love a bundt without frosting. And snickerdoodle to boot! Pinned :)
Thanks for pinning!
You know what a sucker I am for the tangy-ness of snickerdoodles. Mmmmm, sounds yummy.
You’d love this cake! Actually the cake batter before you even bake it is to-die-for! :)
Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite holiday cookies, so I love the idea of a cake version! This looks delicious! :)
Dani | http://www.styledvariety.com
Yum! I love snickerdoodle-anything! I bet this makes your kitchen smell amazing. Dying for that crunchy crust!
Averie, this looks amazing! I LOVE snickerdoodles and to have them in buttery, moist cake form? HEAVENLY! I’ve pinned it and can’t wait to make it for the holidays!
Thanks for pinning and LMK if you try it!
I love some density in a coffee cake and that middle layer of sweet cinnamon looks wonderful . This would be superb with my pumpkin spiced coffee right now….and with a glass of cashew milk later!
It’s a perfect cake to eat with coffee (and you still may need that glass of milk to wash it down later!) :)
I love snickerdoodles, and cake… so this has to be amazing!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
This looks so incredible! And I’m all about a cake that requires no frosting. The cinnamon-sugar topping is a heck of a lot easier. Yay for pound cake consistency, too!
No frosting and not having to fuss with a cake to get it to look right is such a timesaver!