Cinnamon Roll Swirl Coffee Cake

A 9x13-inch cake that tastes like a cinnamon roll.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Breakfast, lunch/dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 24 people

Calories 6618.1 kcal

Equipment

1 Baking Pan 9x13-inch
2 Mixing Bowls One large for cake batter, one medium for topping
1 Whisk For batter and glaze
1 Pastry Blender Essential for cutting butter into the topping for best crumb texture
1 Rubber Spatula For scraping bowls and folding

Ingredients

Main

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 ½ cups milk
2 large eggs
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter cubed
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
Mix flour, sugar, milk, eggs, baking powder, vanilla, and salt for cake together in a large bowl until completely combined. Slowly pour in butter and mix to incorporate; pour into the prepared baking pan.
Whisk brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon for topping together in a bowl. Cut in butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter, then swirl with a knife.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for glaze together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the warm cake.

Notes

Ensure your melted butter for the cake batter is completely cooled before adding it, to prevent cooking the eggs prematurely and affecting the texture. When preparing the swirl topping, cutting in cold butter thoroughly is crucial; this creates pockets that melt during baking, resulting in that desirable crumbly, buttery streusel texture. Do not overmix the cake batter, as this can lead to a tough, dry cake. Bake until just set and a toothpick comes out clean to maintain moisture. For an elevated touch, consider adding a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to the cinnamon swirl for added aromatic complexity, and ensure the glaze is drizzled while the cake is warm to allow it to seep in slightly.