This easy Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake is topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and comes together quickly with the help of canned cinnamon rolls! This delicious layer cake is perfect for a weekend breakfast, holiday brunch or easy dessert!
Craving cake? Make sure to try my Carrot Cake, Caramel Cake and Pina Colada Cake!
Cinnamon Roll Cake
Cinnamon Rolls are often reserved for holidays at our house. They take a fair amount of time to make and planning. This Cinnamon Roll Cake on the other hand, takes significantly less time thanks to our favorite canned cinnamon rolls. This cake is so delicious and gorgeous! It’s made out of canned cinnamon rolls and is so impressive when topped with cream cheese frosting and mini cinnamon rolls.
This easy cake is perfect for Easter or Christmas brunch or for impressing mom on Mother’s Day. Pretty, delicious and perfect for all occasions. It also does double duty as the easiest layer cake you’ll ever make for dessert. Surprise friends and family when they cut inside and reveal the soft, cinnamon rolls on the inside. The swirls of cinnamon look so pretty in the slices of these easy Cinnamon Roll cake.
To give this cake an extra special touch, we’re topping it with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting that gives this cake a homemade element that pairs perfect with the cinnamon rolls.
I topped this cake with mini cinnamon rolls (see more on that below) but you can decorate this cake any way you like!
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
The buttercream is a nice thick cream cheese frosting with a mellow cream cheese flavor but still wonderfully creamy and tangy. The butter gives the buttercream a nice silky texture. I use salted butter and a pinch of salt to really help bring out the flavors in the butter and cream cheese.
You’ll notice I used granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar for this recipe. The powdered sugar has a distinct flavor and can sometimes overwhelm buttercream frosting. The granulated sugar gives it almost a warmer flavor than powdered sugar.
The granulated sugar also helps when beating the buttercream and cream cheese together to give you a nice smooth buttercream. I also love that the granulated sugar gives just a tiny little bit of texture – the perfect complement to the bready-fluffy cinnamon rolls.
More Cinnamon-y Treats
Nothing beats the warm notes that cinnamon provides. Here are some of our favorite cinnamon forward recipes:
- Cinnamon Bread
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter
- Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread
- Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins
- Pear Ginger Cinnamon Oat Smoothie
Ingredients Needed
Make this once and it will instantly become a family favorite. I don’t often provide photos of the ingredients I use but I felt this cake warranted it. It’s really unbelievably easy to make and so worth the time and effort needed. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need…
Cake
- refrigerated canned cinnamon rolls – For this recipe you will need (2) 17.5 ounce cans and (1) 7.3 ounce can. The two larger cans are for the actual cake and the smaller can is for the mini cinnamon rolls that I placed on top of the cake for decoration. You can always omit the mini cinnamon rolls.
Are you a Costco shopper? Make this even easier by buying the already baked pull apart cinnamon rolls at Costco!
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- cream cheese – I recommend using full fat cream cheese (brick form) that has been sitting out at room temperature.
- salted butter – The butter needs to be softened just like the cream cheese. If you use unsalted butter, add another pinch of salt.
- granulated sugar – The sugar will be added in two parts to the frosting.
- vanilla extract – Adds warmth and flavor to the frosting. Use the good stuff for the best flavor.
- salt – Balances the sweetness in the frosting and helps to accentuate each flavor.
Optional Garnish
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ground or whole stick
The icing that comes in the cinnamon cans won’t be used, discard or use for another recipe!
How To Make Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake
Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Prep. Prepare two 8″ cake pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and lightly spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven according to the instructions on the back of the cans of cinnamon rolls.
- Place rolls. Unwrap and separate each of the two large containers of cinnamon rolls. Place one cinnamon roll in the center of each prepared cake pan. Arrange the remaining cinnamon rolls evenly around the center. Stretch or shape the cinnamon rolls as needed for them to fit nicely in the pan. The cinnamon rolls should be touching as much as possible. All of the outer cinnamon rolls should be touching the center cinnamon roll, but you will likely still have a few gaps around the edges. Gently press the cinnamon rolls down as needed to try to make them even in height.
Mini Cinnamon Rolls (Garnish)
- Option 1. Unwrap and separate the can of small cinnamon rolls. This step may work a little differently depending on the brand of cinnamon rolls you purchase. If the small cinnamon rolls you purchased are a solid piece of dough without the traditional spiral then take two or three of the rolls and lay them onto a clean work surface. Arrange them into a line, tightly touching. Use a rolling pin to flatten the rolls into a thin sheet of dough. Sprinkle the flattened dough with cinnamon. Starting from one of the long edges, tightly roll the dough up into a log then slice the uneven ends off of the log. Slice the log into 1/3″-1/2″ pieces.
- Option 2. If the cinnamon rolls you purchased are actually spirals/rolls take one of the rolls and unroll it so that it is one long flat strip. Gently flatten the strip using your fingers or a rolling pin. Cut the strip lengthwise as needed so that it is about 1/3″ – 1/2″ wide, then cut it into 4″ strips. Roll each 4″ strip into a tight cinnamon roll.
- Baking sheet. Set the mini rolls spiral side up onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake Cinnamon Rolls
- Bake as directed. Place both the large cinnamon rolls and mini rolls into the oven and bake as directed on the back of the cinnamon roll packages. Start checking on the mini cinnamon rolls after 7 minutes as they will need less bake time than the larger rolls.
- Let cool. Remove them from the oven once lightly golden. Let the cinnamon rolls cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Butter and sugar. Place the softened butter and half of the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high with the paddle attachment until light and airy.
- Cream cheese. Add the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract and salt and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
- Remaining sugar. Add the rest of the sugar and continue beating until light, airy, and smooth.
Assemble The Cake
- First layer. Place a spoonful of the frosting onto the center of your cake plate or serving platter. Turn one of the cinnamon roll cake layers out, placing it bottom-side down onto the center of the serving platter. Smooth a thick layer of buttercream over the top of the first cake layer.
- Second layer. Turn the second cake layer out of the pan and place it bottom side up so you have a nice flat surface on top. Gently press the layer down to make sure the top is flat and even.
- Frost. Cover the cake in a thin layer of the frosting. If the cake is moving around too much you can place it in the fridge to help it set up a bit before frosting the outer edges. Once the cake is frosted, gently scrape the sides with an offset spatula or the dull side of a knife to achieve a “naked cake” effect.
- Decorate. Place any leftover frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe swirls of the buttercream alternating between tall and short swirls all along the top edge of the cake. Place one of the mini cinnamon rolls onto each of the short buttercream swirls. Sprinkle the top of the cake with a little cinnamon, for an extra special look, try using freshly grated cinnamon sticks.
- Set up. Set in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the frosting to set up.
- Enjoy. Serve and enjoy!
Storage Information
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
This cake is best enjoyed on the first or second day. Once you cut into it the cinnamon rolls will begin to dry out (just the nature of cinnamon rolls!)
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
- When assembling, off-set the layers of cinnamon rolls, making sure the top layer covers the gaps around the edges of the bottom layer. This will help with stability and frosting the cake. Depending on how you press the cinnamon rolls into the pan, you might not have any gaps.
- This is a super simple cake, the key to the whole thing is making sure the cinnamon rolls are touching when you put them into the pan so that they are sure to bake together. If something happens and the cinnamon rolls break apart, no worries, just use extra frosting to glue them back together!
- I feel this cake is best served on day one or two. Once you cut into it the cinnamon rolls will begin to dry out (just the nature of cinnamon rolls!)
- Homemade cinnamon rolls would make this cake extra special, but the canned ones work great, either way this cake is just so darn cute!
- There isn’t any special tricks for the mini cinnamon rolls, however you do it will be perfect, just make sure the dough is nice and thin so that you get those cute spirals! I sprinkled cinnamon on the flattened dough just to accentuate the spirals.
- The icing that comes in the cinnamon cans won’t be used, discard or use for another recipe!
More Brunch Recipes To Try
How To Make Cinnamon Roll Cake
Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake
Ingredients
- 35 ounces refrigerated cinnamon rolls (2) 17.5 ounce cans, I used Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls with Icing (Cinnabon)
- 7.3 ounces refrigerated cinnamon rolls (1) 7.3 ounce can, Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Icing
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ cups salted butter softened
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Garnish
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ground or whole stick
Instructions
- Prepare two 8" cake pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and lightly spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray.
- Preheat the oven according to the instructions on the back of the cans of cinnamon rolls.
- Unwrap and separate each of the two large containers of cinnamon rolls. Place one cinnamon roll in the center of each prepared cake pan. Arrange the remaining cinnamon rolls evenly around the center. Stretch or shape the cinnamon rolls as needed for them to fit nicely in the pan. The cinnamon rolls should be touching as much as possible. All of the outer cinnamon rolls should be touching the center cinnamon roll, but you will likely still have a few gaps around the edges. Gently press the cinnamon rolls down as needed to try to make them even in height.
Mini Cinnamon Rolls (Garnish)
- Unwrap and separate the can of small cinnamon rolls. This step may work a little differently depending on the brand of cinnamon rolls you purchase. If the small cinnamon rolls you purchased are a solid piece of dough without the traditional spiral then take two or three of the rolls and lay them onto a clean work surface. Arrange them into a line, tightly touching. Use a rolling pin to flatten the rolls into a thin sheet of dough. Sprinkle the flattened dough with cinnamon. Starting from one of the long edges, tightly roll the dough up into a log then slice the uneven ends off of the log. Slice the log into 1/3"-1/2" pieces.
- If the cinnamon rolls you purchased are actually spirals/rolls take one of the rolls and unroll it so that it is one long flat strip. Gently flatten the strip using your fingers or a rolling pin. Cut the strip lengthwise as needed so that it is about 1/3″ – 1/2″ wide, then cut it into 4″ strips. Roll each 4″ strip into a tight cinnamon roll.
- Set the mini rolls spiral side up onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Place both the large cinnamon rolls and mini rolls into the oven and bake as directed on the back of the cinnamon roll packages. Start checking on the mini cinnamon rolls after 7 minutes as they will need less bake time than the larger rolls.
- Remove them from the oven once lightly golden. Let the cinnamon rolls cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- Place the softened butter and half of the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high with the paddle attachment until light and airy.
- Add the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract and salt and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add the rest of the sugar and continue beating until light, airy, and smooth.
- Place a spoonful of the frosting onto the center of your cake plate or serving platter. Turn one of the cinnamon roll cake layers out, placing it bottom-side down onto the center of the serving platter.
- Smooth a thick layer of buttercream over the top of the first cake layer. Turn the second cake layer out of the pan and place it bottom side up so you have a nice flat surface on top. Gently press the layer down to make sure the top is flat and even.
- Cover the cake in a thin layer of the frosting. If the cake is moving around too much you can place it in the fridge to help it set up a bit before frosting the outer edges.
- Once the cake is frosted, gently scrape the sides with an offset spatula or the dull side of a knife to achieve a “naked cake” effect.
- Place any leftover frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Pipe swirls of the buttercream alternating between tall and short swirls all along the top edge of the cake. Place one of the mini cinnamon rolls onto each of the short buttercream swirls.
- Sprinkle the top of the cake with a little cinnamon, for an extra special look, try using freshly grated cinnamon sticks.
- Set in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the frosting to set up.
- Serve and enjoy!
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