This cinnamon bundt cake is an easy homemade cake with a cinnamon sugar swirl and luscious cream cheese frosting. The cake is buttery and rich and has the perfect kick of spice from the cinnamon sugar swirl.
What is more appealing than large drips of icing running down the side of a bundt cake? This would be great for the holidays, during fall, or really all year round.
This recipe is better than Nothing Bundt Cake and is like a cinnamon roll in bundt cake form, especially with the addition of cream cheese in both the cake batter and the glaze. This cake is moist and fluffy and perfect as a dessert or a special sweet for breakfast or brunch.
Bundt cakes are a great, easy way to feed a crowd for dessert. For more bundt recipes, try this Eggnog Bundt Cake, Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake, Lemon Ricotta Cake with Blueberry Glaze, or Raspberry White Chocolate Bundt Cake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Moist - One thing that is a must for me when it comes to cinnamon swirl coffee cake is that it cannot be dry, and this recipe does not disappoint! Thanks to the butter and cream cheese in the batter, the cake turns out soft and rich and anything but dry.
Cinnamon - To get the perfect spice flavor in every bite, this recipe calls for quite a large amount of cinnamon and turns into a gooey cinnamon sugar ribbon just like in these mini cinnamon rolls, overnight cinnamon rolls, and banana cinnamon rolls!
Cream cheese - Not only does this recipe have a cream cheese frosting, it also uses cream cheese in the batter of the cake, adding richness and tang throughout every bite. It pairs perfectly with the sweet cinnamon ribbon in the center of each slice.
Ingredients
- Sugars. Granulated sugar and brown sugar are used in the cake. Brown sugar is used in the cinnamon sugar filling, and powdered sugar is used in the cream cheese glaze.
- Cream cheese. Full fat, brick style cream cheese at room temperature should be used. I find that Philadelphia brand is best.
- Milk. Room temperature whole milk should be used in this recipe. Buttermilk can also be used.
- Cinnamon. This recipe uses quite a bit of cinnamon to get the perfect amount of flavor into the cinnamon sugar ribbon running throughout the center of the cake.
- Eggs. Six eggs are used to help lift the vanilla cake and keep it from getting too dense. Be sure these are at room temperature, otherwise the batter will seize when they're added.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cinnamon sugar mixture for added crunch.
- Make this recipe into mini bundt cakes, adjusting the bake time until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no wet batter.
- Mix ½ cup of diced apples tossed in flour into the batter.
- Replace the milk with buttermilk or sour cream for added tang.
How to Make This Recipe
One: Mix together the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar in a bowl.
Two: Cream together the butter and cream cheese until very smooth.
Three: Add the sugars and beat until very light and fluffy, then scrape down the sides.
Four: Add the eggs and beat until even more light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides again.
Five: Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add half of the flour mixture and slowly mix.
Six: Add half of the milk and mix. Then repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk.
Seven: Finish folding in any excess flour around the edges by hand with a rubber spatula.
Eight: Add half of the batter to the prepared bundt pan, spreading and tapping the batter evenly throughout the pan.
Nine: Sprinkle over all of the cinnamon sugar across the first layer of cake batter.
Ten: Add the remaining cake batter and gently spread to meet the center and edges. Bake until set, then turn out the cake to cool completely.
Eleven: Beat together the butter and cream cheese.
Twelve: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix again.
Thirteen: Add the heavy cream and beat until combine and the frosting slowly falls from the beaters.
Fourteen: Pour the cream cheese frosting over the fully cooled bundt cake, then slice and serve.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results to help avoid overmixing.
- Measure the flour accurately using a kitchen scale.
- Don't overmix the batter or the cake could turn out tough.
- Grease the bundt pan generously to help ensure the cake comes out of the pan easily.
- Cool the cake for 20 minutes prior to flipping.
- Make sure the cake is cooled completely before adding the glaze, otherwise it will melt off.
- Joy baking spray, which includes flour, is great for greasing bundt pans.
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Recipe FAQs
A bundt cake is made in a specific pan - the bundt pan - which has a tube in the center. This helps the cake bake evenly by providing heat distribution through the center of the cake.
It's important to cream the butter, sugar, and eggs as the recipe says in order to give the cake lift. Also, be sure that your baking powder and baking soda aren't expired.
Use a non-stick pan, and be sure it doesn't have any scratches on the inside. Grease the pan generously all over, then add either flour or sugar and shake it all around the pan, then tap out the excess. Cool the cake for at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out the cake onto a cooling rack.
Storage
Store the cake covered at room temperature for one day, then tightly covered in the fridge for up to three days. Allow the cake or slices to come to room temperature before enjoying.
If not adding the cream cheese frosting, the cake can be stored at room temperature the whole time. The cream cheese frosting must be stored in the fridge.
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📖Recipe
Cinnamon Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Bundt pan 12-cup pan
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
- Whisk
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Bundt Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
- 6 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 2 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and generously grease a 12-cup bundt pan.
- In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.1 cup dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a bowl using a hand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, 6 oz cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again until even more fluffy.6 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add half of the flour mixture mixing at low speed until combined.
- Add half of the milk and mix until combined. Repeat, alternating with the rest of the flour mixture and milk until smooth. Do not overmix.1 cup whole milk
- Pour half of the cake batter into the pan and tap gently on the counter a few times to settle the batter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over top of the cake batter, then add the second half of the cake batter, gently spreading to cover and meet the edges.
- Bake in the center rack for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter.
- Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely before adding the glaze.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix to combine into a paste. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time and stir until a thick, pourable glaze consistency forms. You want the glaze to pour rather slowly for best coverage.2 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-4 tablespoons milk or cream
Megan says
My first bundt cake was a success!! The cinnamon layer in the middle was the perfect surprise and was so tasty paired with the cream cheese glaze.
Callan Wenner says
Yay! Successful bundt cakes are always exciting. Thanks for trying this one, Megan!