Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake (2024)

This impressive giant Cinnamon Roll Cake is a delightful twist on classic cinnamon rolls, transforming your favorite breakfast treat into a stunning cake that’s perfect for any occasion! Soft and fluffy with a gooey center and vanilla bean cream cheese glaze, this recipe is sure to be a hit at any gathering with the perfect blend of sweetness, spice and everything nice!

Love sweet treats for breakfast? Here are some of our favorites: Jelly Donuts, Cherry Cheese Danish Recipe and this amazing Waffle Recipe!

Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe

What’s better than warm cinnamon rolls straight from the oven slathered with a vanilla bean cream cheese glaze? Yep, you guessed it… a GIANT cinnamon roll that can be sliced like a cake and enjoyed by the whole family!

Picture this: unbelievably soft and fluffy dough swirled with butter, cinnamon and sugar, slathered in a tangy vanilla cream cheese glaze – it’s Cinnamon Rolls but in cake form! This Cinnamon Roll Cake is a GIANT version of the classic, iconic rolls we all know and love.

Golden brown on the outside and irresistibly velvety on the inside with the perfect balance of sweet sugar, rich butter and warming spice. Baked until golden and topped with a creamy, vanilla bean-infused cream cheese glaze, this cake promises a delightful blend of textures and flavors. This indulgent and satisfying cake is perfect for breakfast, brunch or dessert – you choose!

After I posted this Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake, made with refrigerated cinnamon rolls, I got lots of requests for a recipe that was from scratch – this is that recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Not only is this cinnamon roll cake recipe stunning and impressive, but its flavors and textures are unmatched are are sure to be enjoyed by all.

• Versatility. Serve for breakfast, brunch or dessert, this giant cinnamon roll is sure to be enjoyed any time of ay!
• Flavor. This cinnamon roll cake recipe combines a buttery roll with a richly spiced cinnamon-sugar filling and velvety, vanilla bean infused cream cheese glaze. Sweet, spice, and everything nice!
• Presentation. Watch eyes widen and mouths open when you pop this giant cinnamon roll out of the oven and drizzle on that luxurious cream cheese glaze – it’s a show stopper!

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Cake

This Cinnamon Roll Cake takes the comforting warmth of a classic cinnamon roll and transforms it into a delectable cake that’s perfect for any occasion! Beginning with a tender, yeasted dough filled with a rich mixture of butter, sugar, and cinnamon, it’s rolled into a giant spiral before being baked to golden perfection. A smooth and creamy cream cheese glaze is the perfect finishing touch to this giant fluffy cinnamon roll recipe!

As always, you can find the full, printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Prepare the Dough

1. Combine warm milk, yeast, sugar, melted butter and egg. Let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Add flour and salt and stir to combine. Mix with the dough hook for 3 minutes until a dough forms.
3. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.

Assembly

1. Mix softened butter, sugar, and cinnamon for the filling. Punch the dough down and roll into a 20 inch by 12 inch rectangle.
2. Spread the filling evenly across the entire surface of the rectangle.
3. Use a sharp knife or pizza wheel to vertically cut the dough rectangle into 4 even strips.
4. Roll the first strip into a spiral then place the rolled spiral on top of the second strip and roll it again.
5. Repeat for the remaining two strips until you have one giant cinnamon roll.
6. Place the giant roll into a springform pan, cover and leave somewhere warm for 30 minutes.
7. Gently press the middle of the cinnamon roll back in place if it puffs up, and then place the pan in the center of the preheated oven.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, cover with foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Glaze

1. Combine all the cream cheese glaze ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly until smooth and combined.
2. If you want to thin it out you can add a little extra milk. If you want to thicken, add more powdered sugar.
3. After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, pour the cream cheese glaze all over the top.
4. Slice, serve and enjoy while still warm!

Storage Information

Storage: The giant cinnamon roll recipe should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, where it will last for 2 to 3 days. However, if you want to extend its freshness, you can store it, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Freezing: To freeze, wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator before eating or better still, warm for a minute in the microwave.

Making Ahead: To make in advance, the dough can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. Prepare through step 6 in assembly. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge and let come to room temperature for one to two hours before proceeding with recipe as written.

Variations To Try

• Chopped pecans or walnuts will add a nice crunch to this giant fluffy cinnamon roll recipe. After spreading the cinnamon sugar filling, sprinkle on the nuts and then roll as directed.
• Add some sweetness and texture with raisins or mini chocolate chips. After spreading the cinnamon sugar filling, sprinkle on the raisins or chocolate chips and then roll as directed.
• A little lemon or orange zest to the cream cheese glaze will add freshness and flavor.

Bread Flour vs All Purpose Flour

This giant cinnamon roll recipe has been tested with bread flour and all purpose flour. Both types of flour will work, however, bread flour will yield a dough that is much softer. Bread flour has more protein and when it’s used in baked goods the gluten network is stronger resulting in a stretchier, softer dough.

What If I Don’t Have A Mixer?

If you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook you can easily make this giant fluffy cinnamon roll recipe by hand. Follow steps 1, 2 and 3 in the recipe as written then lightly flour a surface and turn the dough out on to it. Knead the dough by hand for 5 minutes then wash and dry your hands and test the dough with a clean and dry finger as described in step 4.

Trish’s Tips

• The milk will take around one minute to warm in the microwave depending how cold it was to begin with. Give it a good stir after heating to disperse any hot spots. If using a thermometer your milk should have a reading of around 110°F.
• Cinnamon roll dough does not behave like most doughs. It is an enriched dough and will not feel completely dry. It is a lovely dough to work with and after the first rise will be very easy to handle and should feel smooth and elastic. It shouldn’t be sticky. If it is, you can add extra flour a tablespoon at a time but don’t be tempted to add too much flour or your resulting cinnamon roll cake will be dense and won’t rise as well.
• Bake until the edges and top are golden brown. They will feel dry and hard to the touch. The inside of the cake will still be very soft. A shorter cooking time may result in some raw dough in the center of the cake. If using a thermometer to check for doneness the temperature should read 190°F to 200°F.
• The cream cheese glaze will look different to cream cheese frosting. It is much thinner and runnier and this is because we want the glaze to run inside all the groves and crevices of the giant cinnamon roll. You may wish to reserve half a cup of glaze to drizzle extra to sliced pieces of cake!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast? Yes, but you need to dissolve it in the warm milk and sugar first and let it sit for a few minutes to activate.

Can I make a cream cheese frosting instead? Sure! Just add a bit more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze.

Can I add extras to the filling? Definitely! Feel free to stir in some chopped nuts, raisins, or even a sprinkle of chocolate chips to the cinnamon-sugar filling for added texture and flavor.

How do I know when the cake is done baking? The giant cinnamon roll recipe will take around 45 minutes to bake in a 350°F oven. You should bake it until the edges and top are golden brown. They will feel dry and hard to the touch. The inside of the cake will still be very soft. If using a thermometer to check for doneness the temperature should read 190°F to 200°F.

What if I don’t have a springform pan? While a 9-inch springform pan is ideal for this giant cinnamon roll, you can use a similar-sized round cake pan or even a square pan. Just be aware that the baking time might slightly vary, so keep an eye on the cake as it bakes.

My glaze is too thick or too thin. How can I fix it? If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it thickens to your liking.

More Breakfast Treats

1. Glazed Donuts
2. Blackberry Turnovers
3. Almond Bear Claw
4. Lemon Blueberry Scones
5. Buttermilk Pancakes