Cinnamon roll coffee cake is the perfect combination of two breakfast treats. It’s simple to make with a cinnamon sugar filling and cream cheese glaze. It’s sure to become a family favorite.
Cinnamon roll coffee cake. Need I say more. It’s the perfect intersection of the delicious flavors of cinnamon rolls and coffee cake. Cinnamon rolls can be time-consuming to make (but of course worth the effort like for these homemade cinnamon rolls). And coffee cake’s simplicity makes it a perfect breakfast option that’s easy to bake and serve with just a cup of coffee. Combine these two, and you have your self a quick and easy breakfast option that screams Cinnabon.
Before you begin
Take out the following baking equipment.
Digital kitchen scale
9 x 13-inch baking pan
Medium bowl
Sifter
4 small bowls
1 silicone spatula
Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
Allow all your ingredients to come to room temperature.
Read the recipe through from start to finish.
Understanding ingredients
There are several reasons behind using sour cream in a cake. One of the main reasons is for texture. Sour cream is thick, and it will add a lot of moisture to a cake without thinning its batter. It’s essential to have a balance because a runny batter will not be strong enough to trap the air formed during baking. Alternatively, having a slightly runny batter will allow the cake to expand during baking properly.
The baking powder and baking soda both act as the leavening agent in this cinnamon roll coffee cake. Acid is required to activate baking soda. And as an acidic ingredient, sour cream activates the baking soda in this recipe. Whereas baking powder, already has the acid added to its ingredients.
And finally, sour cream creates a richer cake. Sour cream is made from cream and therefore has an amount of fat that will add richness and creaminess.
The creaming method
There are a variety of ways to mix cake batter. Each method has a specific purpose based on the ingredients used, and each will yield a different final product. For making cinnamon roll coffee cake, we will use the creaming method (the most commonly used method for cakes). Cakes made with this technique have a softer texture and are often layered or baked in bundt pans.
The creaming method begins with beating the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Typically this will take about 3-4 minutes. Next, eggs are added and beaten one at a time. Always scrape down your mixing bowl between each addition to ensure your mixture is thoroughly combined. Add any flavorings at this stage.
Finally, the flour mixture and liquids are added alternately to ensure all the liquid is completely absorbed into the batter (for this recipe, we are using sour cream as the liquid). At this stage of mixing, gluten, which is necessary to bind the batter together, develops. Gluten provides the structure for your cake. Typically a third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the liquid, then another third of the flour, the remaining liquid and the final third of the flour are added in this sequence at this final mixing step.
Tips and takeaways
- For an added step, you can use a knife to swirl the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the batter. It will not only look pretty but also add a nice swirl of flavors.
- If you love the flavor of brown sugar, you can substitute 110 g (1/2 cup) of the granulated sugar with packed light brown sugar in the cake.
- Always use pure vanilla extract; the use of quality ingredients will yield the best flavors!
- For a fall-inspired cinnamon roll coffee cake, you can add additional spices to your filling mixture. To the brown sugar, add 2.5 g (2 teaspoons) ground cinnamon, 1.5 g (1/2 teaspoon) ground nutmeg, 1 g (1/2 teaspoon) ground ginger, and 0.5 g (1/4 teaspoon) ground cloves.
More breakfast recipes
Make sure to tag me @thesweetoccasion on Instagram and leave me a review below if you make this cinnamon roll coffee cake. I’d love to see your creations and read your feedback. And if you would like to make this recipe later, be sure to pin this recipe using the button on any of these images. Let’s make every occasion a sweet occasion!
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Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 9 x 13-inch cake 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Description
Cinnamon roll coffee cake is the perfect combination of two breakfast treats. It’s simple to make with a cinnamon sugar filling and cream cheese glaze. It’s sure to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 147 g (2/3 cup) packed brown sugar
- 4.8 g (1 tablespoon) ground cinnamon
For the cake
- 420 g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 12.5 g (1 tablespoon) baking powder
- 4.5 g (3/4 teaspoon) baking soda
- 4.5 g (3/4) teaspoon salt
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room tempeature
- 330 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 200 g (4 large) eggs, at room temperture
- 9.5 g (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract
- 295 (1 1/4 cups) sour cream, at room temperature
For the glaze
- 85 g (3 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 14 g (1 tablespoon) butter, at room temperature
- 85 g (2/3 cup) powdered sugar
- 114 – 142 g (4–5 tablespoons) heavy cream or whole milk
Instructions
For the filling
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper on the bottom and grease and lightly flour the sides. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla until mixed well. With the mixer on low speed and in three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Pour the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar later and carefully use an offset spatula to evenly spread. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the batter. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely in the baking pan before removing.
For the glaze
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar, beating until the sugar is completely incorporated. Add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
- Remove cake from baking pan and pour glaze over cooled cake.
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