Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake

5 from 2 votes

This impressive giant Cinnamon Roll Cake is a delightful twist on classic cinnamon rolls that transforms 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!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cinnamon roll cake, cinnamon roll cake recipe, giant cinnamon roll

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 45

Rise Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 709kcal

Author Trish - Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

Dough

1¼ cups whole milk warmed, 105°F to 110°F
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 large egg room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour or all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus extra

Filling

¾ cup unsalted butter softened
¾ cup sugar use white, light or dark brown
1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

Glaze

4 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons butter softened
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar sifted

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

Warm the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute then stir to disperse any hot spots (see notes). Aim for between 105°F and 110°F.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, with the dough hook attached, add the warm milk, yeast, egg, granulated sugar and melted butter. Use a handheld whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients then leave uncovered for 5 minutes.
1¼ cups whole milk, 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 1 large egg, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add the salt and flour to the mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon or danish whisk to mix the ingredients together until a shaggy dough has formed.
1 teaspoon salt, 4 cups bread flour
Place the mixing bowl on the stand mixer and mix with the dough hook on the lowest speed for 3 minutes. After this time the dough should look smooth and elastic. If you touch it with a clean dry finger the dough should feel tacky but should not stick to your finger. If any dough sticks add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it doesn’t stick. (This dough can also be made by hand - see notes.)
Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm location for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

For the Filling

While the dough is rising, make the filling. Placed the softened butter, sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl and mix thoroughly until uniform in color. Set aside for now.
¾ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup sugar, 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

Assembly

Lightly grease and line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper just on the bottom. Set aside.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down in the bowl then lightly flour a surface and turn the dough out on to it.
Roll the dough into a rectangle of about 20 inches by 12 inches.
Spread the filling evenly across the entire surface of the rectangle.
Use a sharp knife or pizza wheel to vertically cut the dough rectangle into 4 even strips. (Refer to images in post if needed.)
Roll the first strip into a spiral then place the rolled spiral on top of the second strip and roll it again. Repeat for the remaining two strips until you have one giant cinnamon roll.
Place the giant roll into the prepared springform pan (or similar), cover and leave somewhere warm for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
The cinnamon roll will have puffed up in its baking pan. The middle will keep popping out and that’s normal. Use the palm of your hand or spatula to gently press it back in then place the pan in the center of the preheated oven.
Bake for 30 minutes, cover with foil and bake for another 15 minutes. The middle will have probably popped out again in which case, use a wooden spoon to press it down before adding the foil.
Remove the cake from the oven when it is golden brown and feels dry and hard when touched on the edges. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Prepare the Glaze

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add all the cream cheese glaze ingredients and mix thoroughly until smooth and combined. The cream cheese glaze will be a thinner and runnier consistency than that of typical cream cheese frosting. If you want to thin it out you can add a little extra milk. If you want to thicken, add more powdered sugar.
4 ounces cream cheese, 3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1 cup powdered sugar
After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, pour the cream cheese glaze all over the top.
Slice, serve and enjoy while still warm!

Notes

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.

Warming Milk

The milk will take around one minute to warm in the microwave depending how cold it was to begin with. Give it a give stir after heating to disperse any hot spots. The milk should only be warm - if it’s too hot it will kill the yeast. You can check the temperature by sticking your finger into it, if you need to immediately withdraw your finger it is too hot. Leave it to cool. If you can comfortably leave your finger in the milk and it feels warm but not hot then the temperature is ok. It’s best to err on the side of caution and use milk on the cooler side if you’re unsure. Warm milk helps to activate your yeast while cold milk will slow the process which will affect timing but it’s better than using milk that’s too hot. If using a thermometer your milk should have a reading of around 110°F.

Nutrition