This Vegan Cinnamon Roll Cake combines a fluffy vanilla cake with pools of buttery cinnamon sugar and a sweet vanilla icing for a truly delicious treat. It tastes just like your favorite cinnamon rolls in cake form!
I think we can all admit there truly is no better combination than cinnamon, sugar, and a whole lot of butter.
I've made cinnamon rolls, vegan cinnamon roll cookies, cinnamon sugar bread, cinnamon sugar knots, cinnamon roll scones, baked cinnamon sugar apples, and NOW a truly delicious cinnamon roll cake is joining the cinnamon sugar mix!
Ingredients:
Ingredient & substitution notes:
- Brown Sugar: I used light brown sugar for this recipe, but you can substitute 1:1 with dark brown sugar.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Can be substituted 1:1 for lemon juice.
- Oat milk: My favorite milk for baking this cake; however, it can be swapped 1:1 with any non-dairy milk, such as soy milk or almond milk.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: I love baking with Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste; however, you can just use vanilla extract as a 1:1 substitution.
How to make a cinnamon roll cake:
Make the cake batter
First, make the vegan buttermilk by whisking together the oat milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes to curdle.
Then, mix in the sugar, melted vegan butter, and vanilla bean paste.
Next, add in the dry ingredients, including the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix together until you have a thick batter.
P.S. This cake batter will be slightly thicker than many of my cake batters, but it is intentional so the cinnamon swirls don't all sink to the bottom when baking.
Make the cinnamon sugar filling
Set the cake batter aside and make the cinnamon sugar filling. You'll need softened butter for this, which can easily be indented with your finger.
Then, add the softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a small bowl and mash together until a thick paste forms.
Add to pan, swirl, & bake
Add the vanilla cake batter to a parchment-lined 8*8-inch baking pan and spread it out using a spatula.
Then, add dollops of the cinnamon sugar mixture to the top of the batter and use a knife to gently swirl the cinnamon sugar into the batter until it looks like the picture below.
Add the cake to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven.
Make the vanilla icing
While the cake is still warm, make the vanilla icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, oat milk, and vanilla bean paste until you have a thick icing.
Pour the icing onto the warm cake so it seeps in. Then, let the vegan cinnamon cake cool, slice, & enjoy!
FAQ & Tips:
Can I make this vegan cinnamon cake gluten-free?
Definitely! While I haven't done it myself, you can substitute with a gluten-free 1:1 flour mix. Other flour alternatives like almond flour, oat flour, or coconut flour will not work in this recipe as it's not a 1:1 substitution.
Can I bake this cake in a different pan?
You can bake this dairy-free cinnamon roll cake in a circular 9-inch pan for similar results.
This recipe can also be doubled and baked in a 9-by-13-inch pan if you want to make more cake. Please keep in mind that baking time may vary slightly in a different pan, so I recommend checking on your cake at the 25-minute mark.
How do I store this cinnamon roll cake?
This cinnamon cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 24 hours or covered and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
You can also slice the cinnamon cake and store it in a closed container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Just defrost at room temperature for about 1 hour before enjoying!
I can't wait for you to try this perfectly sweet & decadent Vegan Cinnamon Roll Cake. It makes a great Birthday cake or a fun treat to bake when you're craving something special. Enjoy!
-TSG
More vegan cake recipes you will love:
Vegan Cinnamon Roll Cake
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake:
- ¾ cup oat milk
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup white cane sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegan butter softened
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons oat milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper or grease the pan lightly. Set aside for later.
Make the vanilla cake batter:
- Add the oat milk and apple cider vinegar to a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Let sit for 2-3 minutes to curdle and create the “vegan buttermilk”.
- Next, add the sugar, melted vegan butter, and vanilla to the bowl and whisk together. Then, add in the dry ingredients starting with the all-purpose flour and then add the baking powder, salt, and baking soda on top.
- Mix into a thick batter. I recommend starting with a whisk and then switching to a spatula so the batter does not get over-mixed.
Make the cinnamon sugar filling:
- Add the brown sugar, softened vegan butter, and cinnamon to a bowl and mash together until a smooth paste forms. You can also use a food processor to mix together.
Assemble & bake the cake:
- Pour the vanilla cake batter into the parchment-lined pan and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Then, drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon sugar filling on top of the batter.
- Use a knife to swirl the top layer of cinnamon sugar into the vanilla cake batter to create a marble effect.
- Then, add the cake to the oven and bake for 30-32 minutes.
Make the vanilla icing & serve:
- Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, oat milk, and vanilla bean paste until a thick glaze forms.
- While the cake is still warm, pour the glaze over the cake so it seeps in for that classic cinnamon roll flavor.
- Transfer the cake to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, slice into 9 squares, serve, & enjoy!
Notes
- Please see the blog post for recipe tips & substitution ideas
- Cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 24 hours or covered and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- You can also slice the cinnamon cake and store it in a closed container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Just defrost at room temperature for about 1 hour before enjoying.
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